The long queues in the waiting rooms of medical professionals, limited time with the doctor, along with the administrative hassle at a typical medical care facility. These are the realities of the healthcare system that patients deal with whenever they seek medical help for any health issues. But this picture of healthcare is going through a silent, but growing revolution. In medical care facilities, the pace at which healthcare is received is being transformed using AI (artificial intelligence), with the single-point doctor's practice becoming a past tense. A new wave of health-tech technological companies (focused on primary healthcare) is the driving force behind this technological push.
The AI-aided health hubs, around the world and now in India too, are powering patient-focused healthcare and reducing delays in seeking treatment. This is a transformational change that can mean enhanced patient outcomes and ease for the doctors who are overwhelmed with patients in medical care facilities. Realising the untapped potential here, reputable institutions like All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi and other AIIMS branches (e.g Rishikesh) are collaborating with technology companies (Wipro GE Helathcare) and government bodies (the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) to establish "AI innovation hubs". These hubs are in developmental stages and being expanded to primary care settings.
Let's take a closer look at the core concept behind this change is for the improvement of the health infrastructure.
How Is AI Being Integrated At Medical Facilities In India?
AI Medical Assistants: But The Human Touch May Matter Still
The most obvious way the face of the medical care facilities are being changed is by using the concept of an AI medical assistant. These assistants basically listen to the consultation and automatically generate notes, which leaves the doctor free to focus on the patient instead of juggling the tasks of note-taking and making a dignosis. This also eliminates lapses in making clerical errors while taking medical notes, which can affect treatment efficacy and recovery time.
But, on the flip side, complete reliance on AI assistants can make patients feel the lack of a personal touch during seeking treatment as the healthcare in nations like India have always had that humane, familial angle. Then there's the issue of family medical history, which doctors with a human touch are more adept at getting. Even now, AI is not advanced enough to pick up on non-verbal cues and nuances of human communication between doctor and patient, which can also lead to straightforward medical solutions that lead to fewer positive patient outcomes.
Decision Support Systems: More Accurate Diagnosis And Prescriptions
Another way that AI is transforming medical care facilities is through the implementation of AI Decision Support Systems (CDSS). These support systems are used to suggest potential diagnoses or flag drug interactions instantly, making prescriptions and adherence to treatment protocols much easier to follow. In turn, this will likely help with bridging the gaps in proper healthcare for patients with pre-existing health conditions and those consuming medications to manage the conditions for prolonged periods of time.
The AI Medical Care Decision Support Systems (CDSS) help with enhanced diagnostic accuracy and reduced risk of human error. The patients and doctors' relationship can fortify this system, which will help with faster treatment plans and reduce the number of health visits for sick patients. In addition, the financial burden of the constant doctor visits can be used to buy medications and invest in better diet and exercise regimens for faster recovery of patients.
AI Pre-Consultation Tools
The AI-powered pre-consultation tools (chatbots, apps by pharmacies and healthcare companies, medical professionals) can triage patients based on severity, ensuring faster access for high-risk cases. This implementation is growing fastest in mental health care, along with other fields. Ada Health, Doctorsapp, BUOY Health, IBM Watson Health, and many more such apps are implementing optimization of the medical care facilities' workflow and reduced waiting times.
But the risk involved here is immense too, because monitoring the progression of disorders or conditions and taking a call on when to intervene cannot yet be left to AI systems alone. Then there's the question of whether we should let AI secure sensitive patient health information that can be hacked iand misused if cybersecurity isn't functioning at its best.
The Evolution Of The Family Primary-Care Physician With AI Support
Apart from tech companies using AI extensively now, the family doctor's role (where the doctors are able to adopt and apply it best, at their clinics) is also changing quickly. The family's primary care physician is now turning from a data processor to a navigation support of healthcare. Instead of spending the majority of their time on paperwork to track patient information, they can focus on becoming a high-level strategic decision-makers, guiding patients through long-term health solutions.
The partnership between doctors and AI tech is quite viable. The doctors and experts in medical care facilities, be they large hospitals or small clinics, need to focus on empathy as the mental health of the patients is sensitive during the time of their sickness. In turn, AI will take care of the clerical administrative work of note-taking, accurate diagnosis support, analysing data, and even with prescriptions and treatment protocols.
AI-assisted tools offer constant monitoring of patient health information through the use of health wearable devices, home monitoring devices; this can provide a continuous flow of care when done in partnership with dedicated doctors. Yes, we are still far away from reaching this optimal partnership status, but there is hope despite the caveats, and it has the power to be transformative.
How AI Is Being Used By Companies Leading India's Rural Health Scene
Though small in scale, AI in rural and tier-2 cities in India is now being rolled out to provide solutions for low-resource settings (e.g, using AI for basic diagnostics via mobile cameras). In addition, tele-health integration is being rolled out by tech companies like the Apollo 24/7 App, which provides immediate doctor assistance through a patient questionnaire and connects to the nearest doctor for treatment. This makes for a seamlessly transition between in-person and virtual healthcare. A number of large hospital chains like Apollo hospitals, Narayana health and Aravind hospitals in India have collaborated with companies such as India Medtronic, Microsoft and Google respectively.
Apollo hospitals have deployed AI-powered solutions for advanced diagnosis for stroke management, which impacts their overall medical care facilities decision-making process. While at Narayana Health, AI is being used to interpret patient data (eg: echocardiograms) primarily in remote outreach where patients in need are far away to receive medical treatment. While at Aravind Hospital, an AI algorithm is being used for detection of Diabetic Retinopathy, a screening tool necessary for primary eye healthcare.
What Are The Benefits And Concerns Around Using AI In Healthcare?
- The main upside is faster diagnosis and treatment plans, along with a more focused and attentive doctor-patient interaction.
- The patient outcomes are better with enhanced focus on preventive care through predictive models.
- Developing trust and following proper HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) rules while operating in a setting assisted by AI.
- A need for cybersecurity, as important personal health-care information leaks can be disastrous for the medical care facilities.
The evolving partnership between medical and healthcare systems and AI tech can be beneficial as the administrative burnout is not on the shoulders of the doctor, but there is a need for human monitoring for proper functioning. The healthcare accessibility and standard of care have been greatly refined by AI, but there is a need to take a balanced approach and make it more patient-oriented and empathy-centric.
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
References:
Alowais, S.A., Alghamdi, S.S., Alsuhebany, N. et al. Revolutionizing healthcare: the role of artificial intelligence in medical care facilitiesal practice. BMC Med Educ 23, 689 (2023).
Sushanta Kumar Das, Ramesh Kumari Dasgupta, Saumendu Deb Roy, Dibyendu Shil,
AI in Indian healthcare: From roadmap to reality, Intelligent Pharmacy, Volume 2, Issue 3, 2024, Pages 329-334, ISSN 2949-866X
