New Delhi: Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help fight systemic challenges straining global healthcare systems with AI-driven diagnosis, infectious disease intelligence and clinical trial optimisation showing the highest potential, a new study said on Monday (June 26). The report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) cited several case studies, including one from India, to highlight the transformative potential of AI in healthcare and the importance of public-private collaboration in driving its global adoption.
The Indian case study found that Apollo Hospitals was using AI to assess cardiovascular risk more accurately than established benchmarks and at a massive scale.
Nearly 18 million people die each year from heart disease, accounting for an estimated 32 per cent of worldwide deaths and this burden is especially high in India, where cardiovascular disease is characterized by early onset, rapid progression and high mortality rate. The WEF said,
Apollo Hospitals operates more than 50 hospitals serving more than 300 million patients across India. Given its position on the front lines of the disease, Apollo aspired to create a risk stratification algorithm that would provide a heart disease ‘score’ for any patient in India to be more accurate than traditional risk stratification approaches
The study, conducted in collaboration with global management consulting and technology firm ZS, aims to spur public-private collaboration to accelerate the responsible application of AI in healthcare, the WEF said.
It proposed a global taxonomy for healthcare AI uses and shows how global healthcare systems could unlock the full potential of these new technologies to transform patient care, reduce costs and enable people to live healthier, longer lives. Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare and Member of the Executive Committee at WEF said,
We are at a critical juncture in global health and healthcare, as mounting headwinds threaten collective wellness as well as employers, economies, budgets and societal resilience. Closely governed advancements in AI are critical to supporting a broader digital and data-driven transition to intelligent healthcare systems, which can meet populations’ needs and transform healthcare outcomes, access, and efficiency
Also Read: WHO Warns Against Bias, Misinformation In Using Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare
ZS CEO Pratap Khedkar said,
The question is no longer whether the technology exists for AI to transform healthcare. It does. The question is whether or not stakeholders can pull together to set the conditions for its widespread use and adoption. If adopted broadly and responsibly, AI holds the potential to radically transform healthcare systems and improve health outcomes for all
The WEF said its report is based on a comprehensive analysis of more than 400 existing AI use cases as well as in-depth interviews with 50 global leaders across technology, healthcare delivery, biopharma, government, academia and more.
It underlined AI’s potential to diagnose a range of diseases at scale, leading to early interventions for individuals at greater risk, as well as counter infectious diseases through AI-powered systems that can predict future outbreaks, map their spread and deliver customized mitigation strategies to reduce their impact.
Clinical trials can be enhanced by facilitating optimal site selection, participant recruitment and the creation of more representative synthetic data, it added.
Besides highlighting the potential of AI in healthcare, the report also identified common barriers to its adoption. These barriers include insufficient high-quality data, low trust in AI solutions and inadequate technological infrastructure, among others.
Public-private support for creating a strong data foundation and improved privacy laws, responsible and transparent design of AI algorithms, and significant investment to adopt these technologies at scale will be crucial to overcome these barriers and ensure equitable access to these innovations worldwide, the WEF said.
Also Read: Opinion: Artificial Intelligence Could Save Earth
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
