Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized many industries, and healthcare is no exception. AI-enabled medical practices have the potential to transform the way healthcare is delivered and improve patient outcomes, but doctors should approach the use of AI technologies with caution. Here are some steps to safely enable AI in medical practice.
Define where AI can help and the data requirements to use it. AI solutions are most helpful when they are solving a specific problem. Medical practices should identify areas where AI can be most useful, such as treatment planning or remote patient monitoring. To enable AI to help with problem solving, the problem must be data-driven and objective.
Choose an AI platform. Medical practices should choose an AI platform that fits their needs and budget. There are many platforms available, ranging from open source to proprietary, and some are specifically designed for the healthcare industry. We recommend picking one that is healthcare centric, so that it has been designed with a focus on the type of work we do in medicine.
Train the AI model. Just like training a new team member, AI models need to be trained using data that is relevant to the problem being solved. The more data the model is trained on—the more repetitions—the better it will perform, with better accuracy. Medical practices should work with an experienced data scientist to develop and train an AI model if it’s being used to present data that is actionable.
Implement and test the AI solution. Once the AI model is selected and trained, it needs to be integrated into the medical practice’s workflow. The AI solution should be thoroughly tested to ensure that it is accurate and effective and that it doesn’t disrupt current digital systems.
Monitor and improve the AI solution. AI solutions are not static and need to be monitored and improved. Medical practices should regularly review the performance of their AI solution and make necessary improvements to ensure that it continues to deliver value. This is often best left to a data scientist or a tech specialist.
Once your practice has selected and trained an AI solution, there are many healthcare-specific ways AI can help your practice deliver better care.
Personalized treatments more efficiently delivered: AI can analyze patient data to improve the level of personalization in treatment plans. For example, AI can help predict which categories of medications might be most effective for a particular patient based on their genetics and medical history. This can lessen the amount of time providers spend researching interventions in between appointments.
Improving compliance and outcomes with remote monitoring: AI can monitor patients remotely and alert healthcare providers when there are signs of change or lack of compliance with home care programming. This can help prevent hospital readmissions and improve patient outcomes. It is an opt-in type of monitoring that can be integrated into websites and apps.
Streamlining administrative tasks to increase time: AI can automate many administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling or locating data in medical records. This can give administrative staff time to focus on patient-centered customer service activities that can’t be outsourced to AI.
AI has the potential to enhance medical practices and improve patient outcomes. Medical practices should identify the areas where AI can be most useful and where AI can be an added tool to improve patient and provider experiences. With the right approach, AI can bring many benefits to patients and healthcare providers. If your office is considering integrating AI, book a consultation with a professional who is highly trained in leveraging AI in your unique healthcare business.
