Why AI in healthcare has game-changing potential

In Handel Jones’ literary alarm, “When AI Rules the World,” we are drawn to envision an age where AI doesn’t merely complement but dominates every strand of our societal fabric. One domain in dire need of this revolutionary touch is healthcare — a sector where the United States, alarmingly, trails behind in the global AI adoption race. When nearly one-fifth of our GDP feeds a system that sees Americans facing graver health outcomes than other high-income nations, it’s clear: our approach needs recalibration.

With over 27 years immersed at the crossroads of technology and healthcare, I’ve witnessed the transformative ripples AI can engender. But our hesitant pace to adopt AI threatens to stunt U.S. healthcare evolution. It’s high time we herald a new standard.

The disjointed dance of AI in U.S. healthcare
Currently, AI’s imprint on U.S. healthcare resembles a patchwork quilt. Rather than seamlessly integrating AI into all areas of medicine, it’s isolated to single systems, such as MRI machines or ultrasound hardware. This approach feels like déjà vu of the healthcare system’s disjointed strategy for the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH Act), which, despite a $35b investment, failed to solve the healthcare interoperability issue.

Critique aside, the HITECH Act did increase the adoption of digital medical health records. But this shift in practice took a federally mandated law to become a reality. Innovations abound but lack the cohesive strategy seen in visionary endeavors like the U.K.’s move to digitally overhaul the NHS. With a staggering 75% of our country’s medical communication still tethered to ancient fax machines, our sluggishness is evident. If the U.K. can lead the charge, surely we can echo their strides?

The game-changing potential of AI in healthcare
Beyond the looming shadow of “AI domination” lies its life-altering promise. A recent August 2023 Swedish study serves as a testament: AI-aided mammogram analyses detected 20% more cancers while maintaining accuracy. The transformative influence doesn’t stop there. AI’s prowess in streamlining physicians’ schedules not only diminishes patient wait times but can significantly reduce physician burnout, which has reached epidemic levels in the wake of the global pandemic, as evident in Ochsner Health’s 2018 experiment using AI-powered scheduling systems.

If AI can detect cancers and reduce medical burnout, imagine its potential in combatting a silent crisis. Medical errors such as prescription mistakes account for up to 250,000 deaths each year in the U.S., making it the third-leading cause of death. A common medical error — and one I experienced myself — is a miscalculated prescription dose. A few years back, I headed to my local pharmacy like I do monthly to fill my prednisone prescription. After swiping my credit card and pocketing the receipt, I stepped aside and pulled out my prescription. I was shocked when my usual bottle of 30 pills contained 450. The bottle even included instructions to take 15 pills daily instead of my regular single daily pill.

When I informed the pharmacist of the mistake, she told me that the computer system confirmed the dosage. A team of hospital providers had incorrectly entered my prescription through a digital fax gateway (the same fax system the NHS is trying to ban). This photo of digital data instructed the pharmacist to prescribe me 15 times my usual prescription. If that same data had been transferred as a digital text field, algorithms would have instantly flagged the abnormal dosage. Just as in my case, medical errors, such as pharmaceutical mistakes, are often caused by a mix of outdated technology and bad data. There is unlimited opportunity for AI technology to make an immediate impact on lives and prevent these minute yet consequential errors.

A new dawn: AI integration requires cultural and policy evolution
We’re on the cusp of an evolution. But like any change, it’s met with hesitation. The bottom line is that many Americans do not trust AI. According to Pew Research, six in ten U.S. adults would feel uncomfortable if their healthcare provider relied on AI for diagnostic and treatment decisions. This position, coupled with regulatory inertia, hampers the harmonization of AI and human expertise — an alliance that could redefine healthcare excellence.

Robust governmental frameworks are imperative to seamlessly integrate AI technology into a system centered on patient privacy and data protection. In our digital era, threats abound. But with vigilance, the summit (however towering) is attainable. The U.S. should seek inspiration from the European Union and its approach to developing concrete rules for using AI safely and securely.

A heartbeat synced with code: The future of healthcare
fcoIn marrying AI and human medical acumen, we stand on the brink of a healthcare renaissance. A world where medical errors dwindle, cancers are detected promptly and physician well-being is prioritized is within our grasp. As we ride this wave of technological marvel, we must never lose sight of the heartbeat — the intrinsic human values underpinning every line of code. Our moral duty, especially in healthcare, is to ensure this digital heartbeat pulsates in harmony with our collective conscience.

As we stand at the intersection of humanity and technology, we must remember that our choices today will shape our stories tomorrow. It’s time to make AI not just a chapter but a central character in our healthcare narrative. HIT Consultant