implementing ai in healthcare fields
The field of AI is rapidly expanding. There is little doubt that it will become an integral component to health-related practices. Healthcare professionals should be involved in its implementation.
Across many different domains of life, artificial intelligence (AI) is being incorporated and discussed as a more common contributor within daily life. There are several potential benefits to greater inclusion of AI and related technologies within many areas of life. It is no different within the healthcare industry. Currently there is frequent publication across all media platforms regarding the usage of AI within healthcare. There is little question that this will become an ever-increasingly present aspect of health-related fields.
In a previous article, several of the applications and uses of AI within healthcare were discussed. There have been recent publications of cancer drugs developed in far shorter timeframes through the use of AI technology. This is clearly one of the potential areas for integration within healthcare. Given the expectation that this technology will likely become a common and regular component of the healthcare field, it becomes important for healthcare professionals to learn how to implement AI within their areas of practice and expertise. As is common amongst all humans, there is frequently reluctance or hesitation to change established routines and practices. Despite this it is important for healthcare professionals to be a part of the process of implementation of these emerging areas of involvement of AI so that they can be familiar with the technology and also guide the integration in a fashion that is most beneficial to the future practice of health-related fields.
Several challenges to the implementation of AI within healthcare were recently described by Roger Brown (2022). In this article, he categorized these obstacles into three primary areas. These included training healthcare professionals and patients in the use of the technology; legal, ethical, and professional considerations; and achieving change within the culture and workflow of the healthcare system in order to integrate AI.
As it relates to training both healthcare professionals and patients, as has been alluded to earlier in the article, there can frequently be hesitation to change from a previous process or paradigm and incorporate a new technology. Since AI may seem foreign or even overwhelming to some, this can be a substantial potential challenge. In order to overcome this possible obstacle, it can be useful to make future users aware of the many potential benefits to the inclusion of AI within healthcare. This can provide a measure of purpose as to why the implementation is important. In addition, it is important that the technology itself and any devices needed to interface with AI be as simple to use as possible and require as little prior knowledge and/or training as possible. This serves to facilitate the transition to regular use. It is necessary that the new technology improve relevant aspects of clinical care and workflow, as well as save time and cost in order for it to be accepted amongst both patient and healthcare professional groups.
In order for AI to be maximally effective and beneficial, the technology must initially learn through a process that is termed deep learning. In practice, this requires the analysis of large volumes of information in databases. This requirement is true amongst all applications of AI. There is an added ethical and legal requirement within the healthcare domain, specifically that these datasets comprise patient information. As such, the information must be protected with respect to privacy and confidentiality. This can hinder the development of AI as sharing of data between healthcare organizations and, in particular, with third parties developing the technology must be done in consideration of these ethical and legal requirements.
Whenever advancement in human endeavors requires a substantial change to existing practices and workflows, there is the potential for reluctance or hesitation to incorporate the emerging and new technology or practice. This is common amongst all areas of life. Healthcare is no different and, in fact, may have a reputation, to a degree, for aspects of dogmatism and greater resistance to change. In order to facilitate the emergence of AI within healthcare, it is important to engage all stakeholders within the process. This assists in the promotion and acceptance of the change to workflow across all areas in the organization. This is particularly essential as the successful delivery of high quality healthcare is dependent upon many areas and workflows within an organization. Each and every area must be involved with the process of change in order for it to be as effective and successful as possible.
As can be seen from the above discussion, while there are several challenges to the implementation of AI within healthcare, there are also potential solutions and recommendations. In addition to the benefits provided to the clinical practice of health-related fields, there are also advantages to the incorporation of AI within non-traditional practices. These typically relate to the increased ability to analyze large amounts of information and use the AI generated insights to better understand and promote the health and wellbeing of patients and clients. The incorporation of wearable devices is an example of such a practice whereby the additional data can be utilized in a fashion not previously available to improve the health and wellbeing of the user.
For both traditional and non-traditional healthcare practices, AI will be an aspect of daily workflow. As part of this process, the promotion and development of the healthcare professionals’ platforms and engagement with others will also incorporate AI within regular activities. As such, it is highly advantageous for healthcare professionals to develop strategies for social media management and content development that are inclusive of the emerging AI integration within healthcare. This combined expertise is incorporated within the framework of House Call Media.
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REFERENCE
Brown R. Challenges to Successful AI Implementation in Healthcare. https://www.datasciencecentral.com/challenges-to-successful-ai-implementation-in-healthcare/. Oct 30, 2022.