Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world as we know it, from automating tasks to enhancing decision-making and innovation. But perhaps one of the most impactful and personal ways AI is changing our lives is within the field of healthcare, where it is being used to improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of medical services.
In this article, we will explore what Artificial Intelligence is and how it is used in healthcare, what are the benefits and challenges of AI in healthcare, and what are some of the most promising applications of AI healthcare that are improving patient care.
What is AI and How is it Used in Healthcare?
Artificial intelligence, or AI for short, is a broad and diverse field of computer science that aims to create smart machines that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. Some examples of such tasks are reasoning, learning, problem-solving, perception, and creativity.
AI can be applied to various domains and industries, such as education, entertainment, finance, manufacturing, transportation, and more. However, one of the most promising and impactful domains for AI is healthcare, where it can be used to enhance various aspects of medical practice and delivery.
Applications of AI in Healthcare
In this section, we will explore 10 applications of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare that are improving patient care in more detail. We will describe what they are, how they work, what are their benefits and challenges, and what are some examples of their use.
Diagnosis and Screening
Diagnosis and screening are the processes of identifying and confirming the presence or absence of a disease or condition in a patient based on their signs, symptoms, tests, or other criteria. Diagnosis and screening are crucial for providing appropriate and timely treatment and preventing complications or further spread of the disease.
AI can help improve diagnosis and screening by:
- Analyze diverse data for disease detection using advanced algorithms.
- Fast, precise diagnoses; reducing errors, delays, and misdiagnoses.
- Aid clinical decisions with evidence-based recommendations.
- Engage patients through personalized feedback and education.
Examples of AI for diagnosis and screening
- SkinVision: SkinVision app analyzes skin images, assesses skin cancer risk, guides doctor visits.
- Infermedica: AI platform offers symptom check, diagnosis support via NLP.
- Babylon Health: AI provides online health services, prescriptions, advice through chat or voice.
Treatment and Therapy
Treatment and therapy are the processes of providing medical interventions or remedies to cure or alleviate a disease or condition in a patient. Treatment and therapy can include various modalities, such as medication, surgery, physiotherapy, and more, enhancing patient well-being.
AI can help improve treatment and therapy by:
- Use data analysis and algorithms for personalized treatment selection.
- Quick, accurate treatment suggestions; minimizing errors and delays.
- Aid clinical decisions with evidence-based treatment recommendations.
- Engage patients through personalized feedback and education on treatment outcomes.
Examples of AI for treatment and therapy
- IBM Watson Health: AI platform offers personalized cancer treatment guidance.
- Medtronic: AI insulin pumps monitor glucose, provide app support.
- Woebot: AI chatbot offers CBT for mental health via text messages.
Drug Discovery and Development
Drug discovery and development are the processes of finding new drugs or repurposing existing drugs for new indications. It includes stages like target identification, clinical trials, regulatory approval, etc. Drug discovery and development are vital for advancing medical science and innovation.
AI can help improve drug discovery and development by:
- AI analyzes data for drug discovery, target identification, molecule design.
- Swift, precise drug development; minimizing errors, delays, failures.
- Aid scientific decisions with evidence-based development suggestions.
- AI fosters collaboration, data sharing among researchers, stakeholders.
Examples of AI for Drug Discovery and Development
- DeepMind: AI predicts protein structures, aiding drug design.
- BenevolentAI: AI discovers drugs, repurposes existing ones via NLP, knowledge graphs.
- Insilico Medicine: Insilico Medicine AI designs novel molecules using GANs for drug discovery.
Medical Imaging and Radiology
Medical imaging and radiology are the fields of medicine that use various techniques to create images of the internal structures and functions of the human body, such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, ultrasound scans, etc. Medical imaging and radiology are essential for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating various diseases and conditions.
AI can help improve medical imaging and radiology by:
- AI analyzes medical data for abnormalities, classifications, predictions.
- Swift, precise medical imaging results; reducing errors, delays.
- Aid clinical decisions with evidence-based imaging recommendations.
- Engage patients through personalized feedback on imaging results.
Examples of AI for Medical Imaging and Radiology
- Zebra Medical Vision: AI interprets X-rays, CT, MRI scans; detects conditions, generates reports.
- Arterys: AI aids medical imaging; segments, measures, classifies, predicts outcomes.
- Caption Health: AI guides ultrasound scans; real-time analysis, interpretation, reports.
Surgery and Robotics
Surgery and robotics are the fields of medicine that use various techniques to perform operations or procedures on the human body using surgical instruments or devices. Types include open, minimally invasive, robot-assisted surgery. These are crucial for treating conditions needing physical intervention.
AI can help improve surgery and robotics by:
- AI analyzes data for personalized surgery options, procedures.
- Quick, precise surgery outcomes; minimizing errors, delays, complications.
- Aid clinical decisions with evidence-based surgical recommendations.
- Engage patients through personalized feedback on surgical results.
Examples of AI for Surgery and Robotics are:
- Intuitive Surgical: AI-driven robot-assisted surgery for precision and control.
- Activ Surgical: AI-enhanced guidance, alerts for laparoscopy, endoscopy.
- Vicarious Surgical: AI-powered VR, robotics for minimally invasive surgery.
Patient Engagement and Adherence
Patient engagement and adherence are the processes of involving and motivating patients to participate in their own health and wellness, and to follow their prescribed treatment plans. Patient engagement and adherence are essential for improving patient outcomes and satisfaction and reducing healthcare costs and resources.
AI can help improve patient engagement and adherence by:
- AI analyzes diverse data for health monitoring, management.
- Swift, precise patient engagement results; minimizing errors, delays.
- Aid decisions with evidence-based engagement suggestions.
- Engage patients through personalized feedback on health, behaviors.
Examples of AI for Patient Engagement and Adherence
- Omada Health: AI-driven programs for chronic diseases, health monitoring.
- Livongo: AI-based solutions for chronic conditions, health measurement.
- Woebot: AI chatbot offers CBT for mental health via text messages.
Health Records and Data Analysis
Health records and data analysis involve gathering, storing, and analyzing extensive health data like EHRs, lab reports. Health records and data analysis are essential for improving the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare services and information.
AI can Help Improve Health Records and Data Analysis by:
- AI analyzes data for insights, patterns; offers recommendations.
- Swift, precise health record analysis; reducing errors, delays.
- Aid healthcare decisions with evidence-based suggestions.
- AI fosters collaboration, data sharing among providers, patients, stakeholders.
Examples of AI for Health Records and Data Analysis
- Google Health: AI-driven health records, data analysis for EHR quality, outbreak detection.
- Nuance: AI speech recognition, EHR documentation, radiology reports.
- Flatiron Health: AI-based oncology EHR, analytics, clinical trial management.
Disease Prevention and Outbreak Prediction
Disease prevention and outbreak prediction are the processes of preventing the occurrence or spread of diseases or conditions in a population by identifying and modifying risk factors, implementing interventions, or forecasting trends or scenarios. Disease prevention and outbreak prediction are essential for improving public health and safety.
AI can help improve disease prevention and outbreak prediction by:
- AI analyzes diverse data for disease risks, trends, anomalies.
- Swift, precise prevention and outbreak prediction; reducing errors, delays.
- Aid public health decisions with evidence-based suggestions.
- Engage public through personalized feedback on prevention, outbreak prediction.
Examples of AI for Disease Prevention and Outbreak Prediction
- BlueDot: AI predicts disease outbreaks from data sources, travel, demographics.
- K Health: AI app offers personalized health info, diagnosis, prevention tips.
- Ada Health: AI symptom checker, diagnosis support, prevention advice.
Mental Health and Wellness
Mental health and wellness are states of well-being where one copes with life’s stresses, works productively, contributes to community. Influenced by biological, psychological, social, environmental factors. essential for personal happiness and fulfillment.
AI can help improve mental health and wellness by:
- AI analyzes diverse data for mental health monitoring, management.
- Swift, precise mental health results; reducing errors, delays.
- Aid decisions with evidence-based wellness recommendations.
- Engage users with personalized feedback on mental health, wellness.
Examples of AI for mental health and wellness
- Woebot: AI chatbot offers CBT for depression, anxiety via text.
- Headspace: AI app provides mindfulness meditation, personalized guidance.
- Calm: AI app offers content, playlists for mental wellness, based on preferences.
Accessibility and Affordability
Accessibility and affordability are the aspects of healthcare that relate to the availability, convenience, and cost of healthcare services and information for different populations and regions. Accessibility and affordability are essential for ensuring health equity and justice.
AI can help improve Accessibility and Affordability by:
- AI analyzes diverse data for healthcare needs, preferences across regions.
- Swift, precise accessibility results; reducing errors, disparities.
- Aid decisions with evidence-based affordability recommendations.
- Engage users with personalized feedback on healthcare access, affordability.
Examples of AI for Accessibility and Affordability
- Babylon Health: AI platform offers online health services, personalized advice, connecting patients with professionals.”
- Peek Vision: AI-based eye care via smartphone app, diagnostics, referrals.”
- Ada Health: AI symptom checker, diagnosis support, prevention advice.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
AI is transforming healthcare in various ways by improving the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare services and information. It aids diagnosis, treatment, drug discovery, imaging, surgery, patient engagement, data analysis, disease prevention, mental health, and accessibility.
AI in healthcare is a rapidly evolving field that offers many opportunities and challenges for improving patient care. As AI becomes more advanced and ubiquitous in healthcare, it is important to keep in mind the potential benefits and risks of AI in healthcare, and to ensure that AI is used for good and not for evil.
10 AI Healthcare Applications That Are Improving Patient Care