8 Advantages of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

What are the Advantages of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare?

 

 

More than at any time in the past, artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in all kinds of industry sectors, not least in the health care sector. AI provides us with far more efficient ways of automating tedious, lengthy tasks. It also offers an excellent way to manage medical and patient resources.

AI can handle many tasks that were traditionally carried out by humans. The main benefit, however, is that AI is not only far quicker, it’s also much cheaper.

Artificial intelligence is continually reinvented. These days, there are modern machine learning solutions that are capable of learning, acting, understanding, and predicting. It’s a large step forward in comparison to previously AI-driven solutions used in the medical field – the linking of genetic codes and surgery-assisting robots.

There are some risks and some challenges with regard to the development of AI for healthcare. As an example, AI system errors mean that patients are at risk of injury. Plus, patient data potentially can be at risk of privacy invasion.

This article, though, discusses the major benefits and opportunities that have arisen due to the use of AI in the healthcare care sector.

 

 

Advantages of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

 

1. Improved Accessibility

In all developing countries, it’s a constant struggle to keep up with rapidly-paced global technological advancements. Developing countries have limited or perhaps even no access to what in developed countries are standard healthcare facilities and systems.

For inhabitants of these developing countries, the risk of dying sooner is higher. According to WHO, healthcare accessibility that is limited or zero is responsible for what is currently an 18.1-year gap in life expectancy between the world’s wealthiest and poorest nations. 

What is perhaps even more alarming is that according to a study conducted by the University of Washington, the life expectancy gap between rich and poor in regions of the U.S. is upwards of 20 years. This is also, in large part, due to inaccessible healthcare, along with a number of other reasons such as physical inactivity, smoking, and drinking.

With innovations in AI, such impoverished areas and disadvantaged peoples can benefit from an efficient healthcare ecosystem. Digital systems with AI-backing can help in the facilitation of patient diagnosis and treatment. Dedicated applications have been developed to help healthcare organizations at the international and national levels to come together and provide necessary assistance to those that require it.

 

2. Real-Time Data

In order to diagnose and address issues of a medical nature, it’s imperative to have access to information that’s not only accurate but also completely up to date. 

Using AI, medical professionals are able to leverage precise, immediate data. This optimizes and expedites decision-making that could very well be critical. 

When results are realistic and generated more rapidly it can mean that preventative steps are improved, there are cost-savings made, and patient waiting times are reduced. 

Further, physician-to-patient relations can be improved with the help of real-time analytics. This can be done by permitting patient data to be available online thereby helping to better engage patients with respect to their necessary treatment. 

Mobile alerts let doctors and nurses become aware of any big change in a patient’s status. 

Today, AI allows much more data to be collected than at any time previously.

 

3. Tasks Are Streamlined

The introduction into medicine of artificial intelligence has already been enough to bring great change to healthcare practices in many countries. 

Such innovations are inclusive of translating clinical details, appointment scheduling, and patient history tracking. 

Artificial intelligence allows healthcare facilities to better streamline tasks that are tedious and meticulous. As an example, the identification of significant visual markers can be made using intelligent radiology technology. This can save many hours of intensive analysis. Patient appointment scheduling can be automated as can patient tracking as well as recommendations for care.

One other way that AI is being used is to review medical insurance claims. Artificial intelligence can be used to strengthen claims management through systematic identification and correction of errors while avoiding ineffective interventions. AI, therefore, streamlines the medical claims process, while also saving hospital staff from wasting time should they have to work through denial and resubmit claims. 

Hospitals can feel more assured with respect to time frames for reimbursement because of the faster payments and improved claims accuracy. This means that hospitals are happy to accept insurance plans in larger numbers.

Essentially, AI means that hospitals can accept a varying array of plans and that benefits existing and future patients. 

 

4. Efficient and Unique Surgical Assistance

Though traditional AI-driven robotic applications used in medicine were relatively basic, the new AI development of these applications has taken a colossal leap forward. 

And it’s the same for machine learning surgical implementation. 

Now, there are AI surgical systems capable of executing even the very minutest of movements with no less than 100% accuracy. Meaning that surgeons are able to undertake complex operations with more efficiency and with a reduced risk of blood loss, pain, or side effects. Recovery post-surgery is also easier and quicker. 

As an example, all blood infections are eliminated in patients that are awaiting a surgical operation when they are subjected to Antibacterial Nanorobots. 

Furthermore, surgeons can access real-time AI-backed information about the patient’s current situation helping to extinguish patient doubts particularly so when under general anesthesia for a surgical operation. 

 

5. AI Helps to Save Time as well as Resources 

With the automation of more and more vital medical-related process, it allows medical professionals to have more time with their patients. Precious productivity hours are being saved by medical establishments because of AI’s ability to accelerate operations. Obviously, for businesses, time means money, so artificial intelligence can save lots of money.

On an annual basis, in the U.S. alone, it is estimated that approximately $200 billion goes to waste in the healthcare industry. A large proportion of the waste is down to strains within the administrative system, including reviewing and resolving accounts and filing.

Medical necessity determination is another aspect that has been greatly improved with the implementation of artificial intelligence. Traditionally, hour upon hour has been invested in reviewing patient information and histories so that medical necessities can be correctly assessed.

With the introduction of natural language processing (NLP) as well as deep learning (DL) algorithms, physicians are assisted when reviewing patient cases.

 

6. Assistance with Research

Researchers can amass a huge amount of data from a variety of sources by using AI. This allows for a more effectual analysis of deadly diseases. Providing that the information is easy to translate, research with the help of artificial intelligence, medical-related research definitely benefits from the huge body of information that’s now available.

Earlier detection of disease is now possible thanks to Viz.ai and its ability to help care teams to react more rapidly using AI-powered healthcare solutions. The company’s AI products, all of which can be used on a fully remote basis, are able to detect issues then provide rapid notification to care teams so that faster treatment decisions to be made and lives to be saved.

 

7. Enhanced Human Capabilities and Supporting Mental Health

Robots are now able to work alongside medical staff in providing assistance for patients. As an example, paralyzed individuals can regain a very healthy level of mobility solely by way of help from an exoskeleton robot. 

Similarly, serving as more reactive limbs than their traditional counterparts, smart AI-backed prostheses can be fitted with reactive sensors.

Service robots with machine learning implementation are able to deal with daily tasks for patients that struggle. Further, dedicated conversational robots undertake important health checks, including blood pressure, temperature, sugar levels, and taking tablets.

There are also robots with in-built analytic capabilities that help depressed patients by analyzing patient mood 

These robots are similar to a personal assistant, and they even come with built-in personality and sentiment analysis capabilities, both of which being particularly helpful for depressed patients.

 

8. Could Help in Reducing Physician Stress

Research has reported that over 45% of resident physicians in the U.S. are stressed due to overworking, pressure because of deadlines, and various other conditions in the workplace. 

Artificial intelligence helps in automating functions, streamlining procedures, and with sharing data and organizing operations with immediate effect, all of this helping to relieve the pressure on medical professionals that are having to juggle too many tasks simultaneously. 

The most significant factor in terms of the contribution to physician burnout is the general nature of the profession and patient load. AI is able to assist with operations that are more time-intensive, and that may help medical professionals to alleviate stress.

 

Related article: What are the Benefits of Being a Doctor?