What can AI in healthcare do?

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Based on research by Leo Petersen-Khmelnitski, LinkedIn

AI is widely seen as an exciting prospect for healthcare, but what are the benefits of adopting AI, and who reaps them? A recent PwC report categorised the various benefits into five categories that span the continuum of healthcare: keeping well, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and end-of-life care.

In the face of increasing number of diseases associated with ‘lifestyle’ factors, or rather, modifiable risk factors, keeping well is an important way of limiting the disease burden. Keeping well involves healthy living and other preventive health measures. AI-powered apps based on the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) that encourage healthy behaviours and the proactive management of a healthy lifestyle are already available for consumers. In addition, AI increases the ability of healthcare professionals to better understand the day-to-day patterns and needs of the people they care for, a potential that hangs on the integration of consumer apps with health providers
In the face of increasing number of diseases associated with ‘lifestyle’ factors, or rather, modifiable risk factors, keeping well is an important way of limiting the disease burden. Keeping well involves healthy living and other preventive health measures. AI-powered apps based on the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) that encourage healthy behaviours and the proactive management of a healthy lifestyle are already available for consumers. In addition, AI increases the ability of healthcare professionals to better understand the day-to-day patterns and needs of the people they care for, a potential that hangs on the integration of consumer apps with health providers
Early detection is also fundamental for reducing the impact of chronic disease, both on individuals and the health system at large. Detecting diseases earlier allows for earlier interventions against diseases like cancer and diabetes, which can have a higher probability of success. AI is already employed to detect diseases such as cancer more accurately and in early stages. The proliferation of consumer wearables and other medical devices combined with AI is also being applied to oversee early-stage heart disease, enabling the detection of life-threatening episodes at earlier, more treatable stages.
Early detection is also fundamental for reducing the impact of chronic disease, both on individuals and the health system at large. Detecting diseases earlier allows for earlier interventions against diseases like cancer and diabetes, which can have a higher probability of success. AI is already employed to detect diseases such as cancer more accurately and in early stages. The proliferation of consumer wearables and other medical devices combined with AI is also being applied to oversee early-stage heart disease, enabling the detection of life-threatening episodes at earlier, more treatable stages.
Significant resources have been dedicated to developing AI solutions to diagnose diseases, particularly by big tech. For example, IBM’s Watson for Health helps healthcare providers to apply cognitive technology to unlock vast amounts of health data and, hence, to power diagnosis. Google’s DeepMind Health has partnered with clinicians, researchers and patients to solve real-world healthcare problems by combining machine learning and neuroscience to build powerful general-purpose learning algorithms into neural networks that mimic the human brain
Significant resources have been dedicated to developing AI solutions to diagnose diseases, particularly by big tech. For example, IBM’s Watson for Health helps healthcare providers to apply cognitive technology to unlock vast amounts of health data and, hence, to power diagnosis. Google’s DeepMind Health has partnered with clinicians, researchers and patients to solve real-world healthcare problems by combining machine learning and neuroscience to build powerful general-purpose learning algorithms into neural networks that mimic the human brain
AI has the potential to help healthcare professionals pinpoint patients with chronic conditions who are at risk, as well as to coordinate care plans better and to help patients self-manage and comply with their long-term treatment programmes. Some medical robots, from simple laboratory robots to highly complex surgical robots that can either aid a human surgeon or execute operations by themselves, are becoming AI-powered, especially for repetitive tasks, rehabilitation, physical therapy and in support of long-term conditions
AI has the potential to help healthcare professionals pinpoint patients with chronic conditions who are at risk, as well as to coordinate care plans better and to help patients self-manage and comply with their long-term treatment programmes. Some medical robots, from simple laboratory robots to highly complex surgical robots that can either aid a human surgeon or execute operations by themselves, are becoming AI-powered, especially for repetitive tasks, rehabilitation, physical therapy and in support of long-term conditions
AI has a potential to revolutionise end of life care, helping people to remain independent for longer, reducing the need for hospitalisation and care homes. AI combined with the advancements in humanoid design are enabling robots to go even further and have ‘conversations’ and other social interactions with people to combat loneliness and keep aging minds sharp
AI has a potential to revolutionise end of life care, helping people to remain independent for longer, reducing the need for hospitalisation and care homes. AI combined with the advancements in humanoid design are enabling robots to go even further and have ‘conversations’ and other social interactions with people to combat loneliness and keep aging minds sharp
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Who Benefits

Across these areas, there are benefits to patients, the public, healthcare professionals and healthcare providers. If applied correctly, AI can bring greater organisation, interoperability, transparency and efficiency. Healthcare providers can integrate AI into, and thus ease, their governance and structure. Enabling an AI-smart workplace culture and workforce will create opportunities to leverage the technology to improve service quality, patient outcomes and overall efficiency. Indeed, countless health systems worldwide report issues around the health workforce: staff shortages, exoduses of skilled health care professionals, burnout, to name a few. AI has the potential to lighten the burden on the health workforce by digitalising inefficient processes and AI can provide clinicians with powerful tools to aid clinical decision-making.

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