The Role of AI in Healthcare

As cliche as it may sound, there’s really an app for everything that you can think of right now. Be it for education, gaming, entertainment, or health, the App Store and Google Play Store won’t fail to recommend apps that will do just about anything you needed to be done.

Right now, artificial intelligence is a big thing. Not only because it is being adopted at a high rate but also because of its potential in monitoring people’s health. There are so many mobile apps right now that are using AI to diagnose health issues, send notifications for medication, and there are even apps that can act as virtual health assistants that can answer people’s health questions. 

It’s really undeniable that AI is revolutionizing the healthcare industry. But, what is the role of AI in healthcare? Are those people who don’t use mobile apps for health tracking and monitoring unable to experience AI in healthcare?

Here are some of the real-life uses of AI in healthcare.

1. Medical image analysis and diagnosis

Companies like Zebra Medical Vision are using AI-enabled assistants that have capability to receive imaging scans and interpret data automatically in order to find potential issues. If there are issues worth alerting the radiologists about, the assistants will provide details and highlight those issues. This is one proof that AI is also helping reduce medical misdiagnosis. 

2. Development of new medicines

AI is now being used in clinical trials and drug development. In 2007, a robot powered by AI has scoured billions of data in order to find potential functions of yeast. In another experiment, a robot named Eve has uncovered that a common ingredient used in toothpaste, the triclosan, can kill malaria-based parasites. 

Such breakthroughs like these, including recent news about a startup company that developed a supercomputer with an algorithm that can analyze millions of potential medicines and predict their effectiveness for Ebola, are providing hope to people with untreatable or incurable diseases. 

3. Robots for surgeries

Medical facilities now utilize AI-powered robots that help surgeons perform surgeries in tight places where a human hand cannot be used. This is such a relief to many surgeons because it helps reduce complications and errors because robots are designed to make precise and steady movements. 

4. AI-powered apps for patient health calculations

Just like virtual health assistants, these apps can assess whether someone is in need of immediate medical attention based on their vital signs. When time is of the essence, AI-powered apps can reduce the wait time and will help people make better decisions. For people with unobvious symptoms, these apps can really be of great help. 

5. Personalized treatment plans

We’re living in a world where value-based care is highly sought after and desired by both patients and healthcare providers. Zephyr Health, a leading insight-as-a service company, has created software that uses AI to make personalized treatment plans for patients based on their medical history. This allows patients and healthcare providers to focus on procedures and treatments that are working for them.

Conclusion

Almost all industries are utilizing AI now and healthcare is not going to get left behind. Probably the biggest winners in adopting AI, healthcare providers are continuously seeking ways to effectively integrate technology with healthcare practices.