Even with these formidable barriers in mind, the potential of AI to improve the patient experience, and their prognosis, is too promising to disregard.
But to achieve this, AI algorithms must be ethical, usable, and scalable. With digital healthcare data being highly sensitive, we must ensure we have a common understanding of what functional, accessible AI systems need, and how to respectfully and responsibly build systems that work.
We can’t fall into the trap of creating technology for technology’s sake. For instance, a cancer prediction algorithm is only effective if it’s accessible to people and patients worldwide. To fully realize AI’s benefits, we must not only develop technology but also ensure it’s widely available.
Barriers to AI in healthcare
In our experience, there are three major barriers that prevent AI from reaching its full potential in the healthcare sector.
For patients to experience truly positive outcomes, healthcare institutions and governments must fix the underlying issues in their systems. This means taking a clear-eyed look at the needs and demands of people. Designing AI tools that can only be implemented by a few—for a few—only risks widening the gap in healthcare inequality.
Better processes, more compassionate care
Today’s healthcare system is overburdened: too many patients, too few practitioners, too much paperwork, too little budget. In the hands of experienced administrators and practitioners, AI tools enable healthcare systems to alleviate the strain on practitioners, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. In this way, AI has the potential to make healthcare more accessible and effective.
The first is that most healthcare practitioners aren’t well versed in the ins and outs of technology and data management. There’s a significant need for education around what technology is used for, given that expertise and focus is rightfully centered on patients. AI experts should work with decision-makers and practitioners themselves to help these medical experts understand how and where AI can help. AI engineers could help build supportive infrastructure that would allow medical professionals to use tools effectively without affecting the time and energy they have for patients.
As we continue to adopt and develop AI in healthcare, it’s crucial we keep patients at the core of everything we do. When we co-founded Arkangel AI, an AI-powered platform focused on enhancing healthcare services, we were driven to help providers to keep the human element at the fore of their industry. With the unprecedented power of AI at our fingertips, we have a responsibility to create scalable solutions that meaningfully address global health challenges.
This technology is already affecting healthcare in powerful ways. AI is supporting the detection of conditions like heart disease, rare diseases, and cancer. But it’s also streamlining administrative tasks like writing summaries and notes, freeing doctors from the burden of paperwork. This allows them to spend more time and energy on what matters most: their patients.
By prioritizing standards and ethics and working collaboratively, we can build a healthcare ecosystem where AI acts as a powerful assistant to physicians, improving patient outcomes, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs. With clear guidelines and a steadfast focus on patient welfare, AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare and save lives.