Dose of Innovation: Injecting the Future with AI's Quantum Leap in Healthcare

The advancements in artificial intelligence have sky-rocketed within the past several years. Novel AI ‘chat-bots’ like Chat-GPT use natural-language processing to comprehend and communicate with humans. But what about implementing AI into the world not as a resource of information, but as a means of carrying out tasks that humans are burdened with more effectively? While the idea of a robot doing your dishes or cleaning the house is still foreign to society, unprecedented AI has begun to emerge in industries such as the medical field. Thinking about the implication of AI in real life, a series of questions arise: Is using artificial intelligence in the medical field ethical? Are the possible benefits worth the risks? Is AI truly capable of dominating the healthcare industry?

Recent AI Applications in Medicine

A common misconception is that the idea of AI in medicine is completely foreign. This is not the case, as commonly-known scans such as CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays all use algorithms that utilize AI to analyze the scans’ results and provide diagnoses that are quick, yet accurately efficient. Additionally, according to Medical Transcription US, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR)–technology increases the efficiency of recording by 300% compared to manual typing, since it is based on artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Therefore, even though AI seems like a frightening piece of technology, doctors worldwide already utilize its benefits in a multitude of ways to improve their efficiency and save more lives.

PROS of AI in the Medical Field

AI continues to have a substantial impact in the medical field, whether it is for day-to-day usage or in a more advanced setting. One crucial benefit of AI is its accessibility. According to IBM, a study found that 64% of patients find the assistance of instantaneous AI-powered chatbots and virtual nursing salutary. IBM also describes the efficiency of AI-organized administrative work such as data collection, billing, and other mundane tasks. For regular usage, AI health monitoring is an outstanding tool. Turning our unadorned, human-controlled medical trackers and monitors into precise, and undemanding AI-regulated surveillance would be a game changer in terms of the early detection of diseases and the monitoring of one’s overall health and well-being. Many usages of this could include monitoring diabetes, period and pregnancy tracking, medications, and other health-related details that the majority of people find futile, but are impactful to know.

CONS of AI in the Medical Field.

AI has never been perfect and to be fair, it's designed by us humans. So it is safe to say there are plenty of flaws and potential drawbacks to the utilization of AI in healthcare settings. HITRUST Alliance explains the challenges that can come along with AI, one being data and security threats. AI tools and data archives store tons of sensitive patient information which could result in issues such as cybersecurity leaks, data breaches, privacy violations and more. Another growing issue is the overreliance on AI tools which proceed to decrease raw human judgment, critical thinking, and experiences of doctors and healthcare professionals. Additionally, AI in healthcare is extremely costly. Digital Health Folio3 states that the costs of AI tech in healthcare have risen to $6.6 billion as of 2021. This sets the hindrance to the benefit of this technology in particular demographics. Clinics in middle to upper-middle-class regions will have advancements in their healthcare while in lower-class areas may not have these refinements.

Final Thoughts/Conclusion

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already shown its worth in jobs like administrative work and medical image analysis, considerably improving physicians' capabilities and patient care despite initial criticism and concerns about "Robots taking over." There are numerous possibilities for improving general well-being due to the accessibility and possibility of early disease identification with AI-monitored health tracking. To guarantee fair access and optimize AI's advantages for all demographic groups, it is crucial to address the difficulties and moral issues surrounding its application, such as risks to data security and the possibility of overreliance. AI has the potential to completely transform the healthcare industry, ultimately saving lives and enhancing health outcomes globally, However, we should consider the implications carefully and continue to make innovations for improving society.

SOURCES:

Renfro, M. (2023, November 20). The Pros and Cons of AI in Healthcare - HITRUST Alliance. HITRUST Alliance. https://hitrustalliance.net/the-pros-and-cons-of-ai-in-healthcare/#:~:text=High%20costs%20of%20development%20and

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Tomberlin, C. (2023, December 21). Revolutionizing Healthcare: How is AI being Used in the Healthcare Industry? Los Angeles Pacific University. https://www.lapu.edu/ai-health-care-industry/

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Fatemeh Dinari, Kambiz Bahaadinbeigy, Somayyeh Bassiri, Esmat Mashouf, Saiyad Bastaminejad, & Khadijeh Moulaei. (2023). Benefits, barriers, and facilitators of using speech recognition technology in nursing documentation and reporting: A cross‐sectional study. Health Science Reports, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1330

MOS. (2023, March 20). Five Uses of Voice Recognition in Healthcare. Www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com. https://www.medicaltranscriptionservicecompany.com/blog/5-ways-voice-recognition-is-improving-healthcare/#:~:text=Clinicians%20are%20using%20the%20technology

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Buller, R. (2023, December 5). AI and the Future of Health Care. California Health Care Foundation. https://www.chcf.org/blog/ai-future-health-care/#:~:text=Beyond%20diagnostics%2C%20AI%20can%20also