As artificial intelligence (AI) grows in capability and popularity, its potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry becomes evident. However, as with any new technology, there are many ethical considerations to keep in mind. Keep reading to learn about the role of AI technology in health and medicine.
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The benefits of AI in healthcare
From improving speed and precision to filling the gaps in patient care, AI has the ability to streamline administrative processes and enhance the accuracy of healthcare professionals in numerous areas.
AI in medical diagnosis
Two main categories of AI in healthcare include machine learning (ML) techniques and natural language processing (NLP) methods. ML involves analyzing large sets of patient health data to group similar traits and symptoms in order to predict disease outcomes and trends. Similarly, NLP devices will analyze less structured data like medical journals and healthcare providers’ notes in order to turn these into more structured, readable data that can then be processed by ML. (5)
For healthcare providers, this means that each medical diagnosis they make can be supported by vast up-to-date data sets across large patient populations, keeping providers more informed and reducing the risk of human error in diagnosis and subsequent treatment. (4)(5) One study found that an AI system interpreting mammograms was able to reduce false positives by 5.7% and false negatives by 9.4%. (8)
AI tools will also be able to detect diseases at their earliest stages by scanning patient health data and noticing any anomalies or patterns that may not be significant enough yet to be caught by the human eye. Early detection like this can make a major difference in a patient’s treatment strategy and health outcomes. (4)
The increased speed of AI operation also means that medical images like MRIs and X-rays can be scanned and interpreted faster, expediting diagnosis time so that treatment strategies can be put into place earlier. (4) A study in South Korea compared early breast cancer detection by AI versus radiologists and found that AI had a higher detection rate at 91% compared to 74% by radiologists. (6)
AI transforming patient experience
In addition to data interpretation and diagnosis, AI devices can also play a significant role in patient treatment and rehabilitation. Due to AI’s remote capabilities, healthcare providers can track patients’ vital signs, overall health status, and whether they’re following their treatment plan from afar, reducing the need for numerous follow-up appointments. For patients with chronic conditions, reduced time spent in medical facilities can make a major difference in their overall quality of life. (4)
AI robots can be used in physical therapy and rehabilitation as well, providing patients with personalized exercises and monitoring their progress, which can improve recovery speed and reduce the need for appointments. (4) Specifically, AI robots have been used in stroke rehabilitation, medical equipment and supplies delivery, and the care of elderly people with reduced mobility. (3)
Elderly healthcare in particular has the potential to significantly benefit from AI technology. By 2030, about 16% of the global population is expected to be over 60 years old, with that number doubling by 2050. It has also been reported that 92% of older adults have at least one chronic disease. (7) This increasing need for care would place a large burden on the healthcare system, but with AI assistance, many aspects of elderly care could be alleviated.
One review of 105 studies between 2000 to 2022 found that there’s a wide range of AI devices used in elderly healthcare, including:
- Exoskeleton devices
- Intelligent homes
- Rehabilitation robots
- Smart applications
- Virtual reality
- Voice-activated devices
- Wearable devices (7)
AI for healthcare administration
Another benefit of AI technology is in automating and easing the burden of administrative tasks. Chatbots and virtual assistants can manage appointment scheduling as well as insurance verification to free up staff whose efforts could be helpful in other areas of patient care. (4)
AI can also streamline processes like staff scheduling, resource utilization, booking, and invoicing by analyzing patient flow patterns from historical data sets, keeping healthcare organizations running optimally and efficiently. (9)
Electronic health records (EHRs) commonly cause extra work and can be confusing to navigate. However, many EHR providers are now incorporating AI voice technology into their platforms to make it simpler for healthcare professionals to record information. (3)
AI in robotic surgery
AI robots are becoming increasingly common in surgical procedures due to their ability to increase accuracy and stability and reduce the risk of errors. They’re also less invasive than certain surgical procedures, making for a smoother patient experience and recovery time. (4)(3) These robots are often used in local and remote laparoscopic, neurologic, and orthopedic surgical procedures. (3)
AI in research and development
By analyzing vast sets of data, AI can aid in the process of drug discovery by identifying potential drug candidates and predicting how well they’ll work. This would speed up the process of researching and developing new medication, possibly saving more lives. (4)
Challenges of AI in healthcare
Despite the many benefits artificial intelligence could bring to the healthcare industry, concerns regarding privacy and ethics need to be carefully considered when implementing these technologies.
Ethical considerations and bias
Due to inconsistencies and lack of diverse representation in historical healthcare data, it’s possible for AI algorithms to perpetuate biases and treatment disparities. This is why it’s important to introduce data sets that are diverse and representative of all populations when training AI systems to ensure fair treatment of all patients. (4)
When incorporating AI recommendations into diagnoses and treatment plans, healthcare providers should always seek to understand the reasoning behind each AI recommendation in order to ensure transparency, fair treatment, and accountability. (4)
Another ethical challenge of AI in healthcare is determining who should be held responsible for any malfunctions, errors, or adverse effects caused by artificial intelligence. This is a consideration that should be acknowledged and established whenever AI is being introduced into a healthcare process. (4)
Data privacy in AI applications
Since AI’s machine learning technology relies on scanning vast sets of sensitive patient data, there are some concerns regarding the security of this data and the implications of making it so readily available. Any data breaches could have serious consequences.
When incorporating AI technology into their practices, healthcare organizations would need to ensure that proper security measures such as anonymizing and encrypting patient data are in place to maintain privacy. (4)
Regulatory and compliance challenges
With artificial intelligence’s rapid growth and development, the regulation of its processes and uses is still a work in progress. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing guidelines on the applications of AI in medicine as well as the role of ML technology in a medical context. Additionally, both the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are working to improve the credibility of AI while prioritizing efforts in its regulation. (1)
Managing expectations and misconceptions
Some people have concerns about giving AI so much control over their healthcare access and processes. However, it’s important to note that in 2018, the American Medical Association (AMA) referred to AI as augmented intelligence, emphasizing that AI isn’t meant to replace human physicians but rather aid and improve human practices and processes in the health care system. AMA claimed that together new achievements could be made and new limits could be reached, which wouldn’t be possible without both augmented intelligence and human touch involved. (2)
The future of AI in healthcare
Though the integration of AI technology with the healthcare industry is relatively new, developments are rapidly progressing, with studies already showing positive results. While precautions must be taken to protect patient data and ensure ethical practices, the potential benefits of using AI are undeniable.
With its capabilities in medical diagnosis, data management, patient care, and surgical procedures, the healthcare industry can only anticipate revolutionary changes as the technology continues to progress.
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