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AI healthcare sector

Applications of AI in the Healthcare Sector

Applications of AI in the Healthcare Sector

We have seen and heard many uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various industries, but one of the most promising and impactful applications of AI is in the healthcare sector.

With the sensors and software available, we are recording more data than ever. This helps artificial intelligence algorithms become more sophisticated and automate tasks more effectively and efficiently than humans.

In the healthcare sector, through medical and hospital records, physical examinations, and IoT devices, we are collecting a significant amount of data. However, the sheer amount can be overwhelming for humans to take full advantage of.

That’s where Artificial Intelligence comes in and helps doctors and hospital administrators automate certain tasks.

Let’s take a look at the ways the healthcare industry can benefit from AI in its day-to-day operations.

Early diagnosis

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Early diagnosis refers to the detection of symptoms of the disease in patients at an early stage that results in easier and more successful treatment.

Identifying a disease requires a multi-stage process in which patients are screened by various healthcare professionals with different tools. Subsequently, physicians must re-consult patients and their former doctors to make an accurate diagnosis, which can be quite a costly and timely procedure.

However, because AI-powered systems can accumulate and store data in one place, they can quickly access current or past health problems of patients, compare details, and speed up the diagnostic process.

With the help of historical patient data and computer vision capabilities, AI solutions can be used to identify diseases from X-rays, MRIs or CT scans and alert healthcare professionals for a more detailed examination.

Improved protection of patient data  

Accumulated patient data is a great opportunity for medical advancement and faster diagnosis, yet it is also a great responsibility. Data security and confidentiality is vital in the healthcare industry and is regulated by various laws such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) serve as perfect tools to protect patient data. They can help medical facilities with: 

  • Processing large volumes of data on shared files, emails or visited websites
  • Faster detection of security breaches by cross-referencing multiple alerts.
  • Identifying and automatically blocking unauthorized application behavior
  • Data access with smart authentication methods such as fingerprint scanners or facial recognition

Surgical robots powered by AI

A study showed that use of robotic surgery for all general surgery procedures increased from 1.8% to 15.1% from 2012 to 2018. 

Surgical robots are becoming more and more common around the world, but people still don’t fully trust them. However, the same happened with autonomous cars, although now we see a greater acceptance of society towards them.

Although it is very likely that surgeons will not be replaced by robots (at least not in the near future), the healthcare sector realized that they can serve as an important tool to improve the performance of surgery.

Artificial intelligence systems record and collect data from surgeons’ operations and analyze it with intelligent algorithms. This process helps surgical robots with decision making, problem solving, and other performance factors. The results are: 

  • More precise surgeries
  • Faster recovery and less scarring
  • Improved visualization
  • Etc. 

Automated administrative workflow assistance

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Healthcare paperwork is a burdensome task that not only bothers patients but also doctors. In fact, the average doctor in the United States spends 8.7 hours a week (16.6% of the working day) on administrative procedures, which costs the healthcare sector US $ 812 billion.

With natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, healthcare facilities can process medical documents, update medical records, schedule patient visits, and triage patients.

In this way, doctors can stop worrying about paperwork and spend more time caring for and diagnosing patients.

Decreased costs

With faster diagnostics and process automation, it’s no wonder AI-powered systems can lower the cost for clinics. However, it is not only profitable for businesses, but also for patients.

Artificial Intelligence frees healthcare professionals from mundane tasks and augments their skills with smart algorithms. This not only allows doctors to participate in more important and specialized tasks, but it also eliminates human bias.

AI has the ability to process and analyze data at the speed of light, while providing a high level of precision. Performing routine tasks, such as radiology, using AI-based systems can help prevent human error and provide a correct diagnosis.

In this way, patients will spend their time and money on the correct treatment plan, saving money and ensuring a healthy recovery.

Conclusion

Implementing AI is a challenge in all industries, especially in healthcare, where the health of patients is at stake. Yet despite the challenges, the benefits and opportunities that AI offers are vital to advancing the healthcare sector.

The recent pandemic has shown us how important the health industry is to humanity and that human personnel alone cannot meet the demand in the event of force majeure. That is why more attention has been paid to including AI in the sector, so that everyone can have affordable and effective access to healthcare.

Would you like to enhance your project with AI-powered solutions? Schedule a free consultation call with our experts and let’s find out how MaxinAI can help you get the most out of AI.

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© 2021 - MaxinAI | All Rights Reserved
© 2021 - MaxinAI | All Rights Reserved