Artificial intelligence has been gradually transforming several industries worldwide as we discover greater use cases for this technology. AI has already become an essential tool in healthcare and research by allowing us to quickly sort and search through data, track diseases, and much more. Here are a few ways artificial intelligence has transformed healthcare.
Better Diagnosis
AI has the potential to revolutionize how we diagnose disease. Machine learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning are all tools that clinicians can use to help diagnose patients more accurately than ever before.
AI can reduce the time it takes to diagnose a patient by using machine learning to find patterns in data from other patients with similar symptoms. This allows AI algorithms to make predictions about what diagnosis each patient may have based on their symptoms and medical history without human intervention or interpretation. This capability significantly reduces the time it can take to diagnose a patient.
AI also allows doctors and nurses to spend less time researching new cases and more time treating them by using deep learning techniques like image recognition or natural language processing. With these techniques, machines analyze images from CT scans or MRIs and notes written by doctors and transfer them into electronic health records (EHRs).
Pandemic Tools
During the COVID-19 pandemic, artificial intelligence became an essential tool for tracking and predicting the spread of the disease. AI helps policymakers better understand the speed and severity of the disease by reporting and predicting how the disease spreads throughout a population. AI can further take this information and create graphs and maps that help us prepare supplies, ready medical centers, and implement safety mandates for specific areas.
Not only can AI help us predict the spread of disease, but it can also help us perform mass temperature checks of crowds and recognize those who may be infected. In many areas of the world, during the pandemic, whenever you walk into a grocery store, you are automatically temperature checked by a camera that scans every person who enters the store. This machine automatically alerts staff when any customer has a high temperature. This AI tool can even recognize the faces of those infected persons, regardless of whether or not they are wearing a face mask. AI technology will become an essential tool in the fight against future pandemics.
Increased Accessibility
Adopting artificial intelligence by healthcare providers has increased accessibility to healthcare. With the help of AI, doctors and nurses can now handle a more significant number of patients without increasing their workload. Moreover, these additional resources allow them to provide better care and increase efficiency and productivity within their facilities. As such, AI offers a unique opportunity for improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare worldwide by reducing costs while contributing towards its sustainability.
The Application of AI in Data Analysis
The application of AI in data analysis is one of the most significant developments in modern medicine. The ability to analyze large amounts of patient data, whether clinical or diagnostic information and predict outcomes allows doctors to make more informed decisions when treating patients. This can mean faster diagnosis and treatment plans for patientsor even saving lives by detecting a condition before it becomes critical. When it comes to creating biopharma treatments and medicines, AI is essential in searching through large quantities of data such as DNA strands and much more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers needed to rapidly sort through millions of strands of DNA to develop an effective mRNA vaccine. Research laboratories worldwide require the help of medical manufacturers like Avantor, who support the development and production of life-changing treatment for patients around the world. Developing new vaccines typically requires years of research and testing; however, with the help of AI technology, scientists could create effective vaccines within a year of the pandemic’s start.
Virtual Reality in Medicine
Virtual Reality is being used in medicine in several ways. It can help patients overcome phobias, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). VR is also used for pain management, mental health, dementia, and memory loss.
Currently, several medical schools and hospitals utilize VR for surgeries. VR can help train surgeons on complex procedures without any risks. While surgeons using AI and VR in the field can benefit from automatic real-time patient information through glasses that display essential stats and communications hands-free throughout the procedure.
The healthcare industry is flourishing and improving with artificial intelligence tools every day. As more healthcare professionals worldwide continue to adopt these technologies, we will see new and improved ways of utilizing this technology to help patients receive better care.