The world is going through a major industrial revolution comparable to the one experienced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Every day, there is an emergence of new technologies characterized by the merging of the physical and digital worlds. Artificial intelligence (AI) is the name of this new industrial revolution. A perfect example of the application of AI is in the transport sector where we have self-driving cars. Healthcare sector is another area where AI is expected to play a significant role enhancing provision of healthcare services.
Examples of AI Application in the Healthcare Sector
AI has continued to gain popularity in the healthcare sector. A survey by Frost & Sullivan in 2016 projected this market would be worth around $6.6 billion by 2021.
• 3D printing has been used to speed up wound healing by creating body parts such as blood vessels and skin cells.
• AI has been used the development of eye drops that eliminated the need for surgery to treat cataracts.
• Second Sight Medical Company has developed an artificial eye for those with vision problems.
Medical Applications of AI in the Future
Data Mining
AI has been found to be very efficient in collecting, storing, and analyzing data. It is therefore expected to play a vital role in the healthcare sector by managing data related to the patients. It will become easier for medical practitioners to recommend treatment as they will be accessing information about the patient faster than ever before.
Online Consultation
The availability of the patients’ history will make it easy for doctors to recommend treatment without necessarily meeting the patients physically. Apps are expected to replace doctors in recommending medications upon identification of the symptoms. Besides, some of these apps will also be reminding the patients to take medications.
Development of Treatment Plans
AI is also expected to provide medical practitioners with available treatment options for each case. Specific AI programs can analyze structured and unstructured data such as clinical notes. Such programs are supposed to be of an essential benefit to clinicians in helping them in selecting the best treatment method.
Development of Drugs
The process of developing drugs is tedious and costly. A faster, more efficient, and cheaper pharmaceutical development process would have a significant impact on this industry, especially reduction of the cost of medicine and enhancing the health of individuals. Thanks to AI. AI has been employed in the search for better drugs to treat diseases like Ebola virus. AI technology significantly reduces the time required to achieve this goal from months or years to just a day.
The prejudices and fear about AI technology have hampered its penetration and use in the society. It is essential for people to learn the significant role AI technology can play in enhancing our health. There is a growing consensus among various professionals that AI will eventually take control of human life. However, measures such as the development of ethical standards among others can play a major role in ensuring that humans gain maximum benefits from AI technology.
The continued use of AI technology in the healthcare sector is expected to cause significant disruptions in the industry. One thing that we are sure of is that the technology will have a substantial impact in improving our health through better disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
About David Lubbat
David Lubbat is a prominent tech savvy. He has had an interest in web development and computer software, and this has played a major role in starting his own graphic design company. The company provides web development services to its clients.
Additionally, David Lubbat has provided consultation services for over a decade. He helps startup companies in forecasting their models. Due to his enormous interest in technology, he is the right man to rely on when you want to know about the latest technologies and their impacts on humans.