Artificial intelligence: The time is now
Our editor, Laura Hughes, explains why the medical sector should embrace artificial intelligence.
Every year we see increasingly more advances with robots and technology, however, what should be seen as a huge gain for the medical sector is often feared by those who are afraid of change, and think robots have the potential to take away their jobs, will cost lots for the company, or affect the control of certain processes.
If you have ever called an emergency helpline or visited a doctor’s surgery, then you will know that these professionals are applying common sense, empathy, intelligence and years of training when addressing your concerns – some of these factors being very difficult to instil in a machine.
In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the IDx-DR device by IDx Technologies for diabetic retinopathy diagnosis - the first approval of its kind. The system works by taking an image of the patient’s eye, and then uploading the images to a server for analysis. In the case the software provides a positive diagnosis, the patient is then referred to a human who is an eye specialist. The initial system can be operated by anyone and does not require a specialist.
Another example is Aerobit’s smart inhaler which is able to track medication use and record each time an inhaler is taken by an asthma patient. The device is able to provide reminders and alerts to the patient; however, the doctor still plays an important role in tracking the treatment progress and compliance for that patient.
Jane Rendall, managing director of Sectra UK and Ireland, commented on the UK’s healthcare system – the NHS’ unused data sets: “The NHS has practically unused archives of millions of diagnostic images that could become one of the most powerful clinical datasets in the world if artificial intelligence is used effectively.”
Interestingly, a report by KPMG, a global network of professional firms who provide audit, tax and advisory services with a particular focus on industry, had the following key findings:
- 60% of US life science CEOs see artificial intelligence creating more jobs than it eliminates
- Most life science companies have made investments in artificial intelligence in some form
- 25% of US CEOs who were surveyed said they have already achieved significant returns from artificial intelligence investments
A recent study published in the Nature journal also concluded that in the UK, where mammograms are typically read by two radiologists during screening, artificial intelligence could lower the workload for the second reader by 88%.
I believe artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the way we work within healthcare. Removing the need for a skilled healthcare professional saves money and time which can be better used elsewhere. Additionally, machines can be programmed to have an extremely low possibility of error.
A report by the Association of American Medical Colleges indicated a projected shortfall of nearly 105,000 physicians by 2030; artificial intelligence has the potential to ease this burden, but only if we allow it.