Welcome to the Blockchain & AI Forum, where your technology questions are answered! Today’s question, from Doctor Cristina Lazaro, concerns the use of artificial intelligence in health care.
Doctor Lazaro, you came to the right place. There has been an explosion in research related to AI in health care. I answer your question based on an article titled, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Institutions: A Systematic Literature Review on Influencing Factors by Roppelt, Kanbach, and Kraus, 2024 , Science Direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X23002488
The Health Care Status Quo–Serious Challenges Ahead with Ai as a Solution. According to researchers, the global health system is facing serious challenges. Researchers cite the growing number of patients due to population growth, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing healthcare costs, and staff shortages. The good news is AI has the potential to solve some of the challenges ahead, claim the authors. The researchers say, “… AI is a technology that, through rules-based logic, can help to significantly speed up the process of analyzing vast amounts of data and leverage patterns by mimicking human intelligence. AI may result in fast and often better-advised decisions. Thus, as it pertains to the healthcare industry, AI has the potential to overcome staff shortages in developing and developed countries, enhance organizational efficiency, and maximize diagnostic accuracy as well as patient outcomes by providing at least comparable quality results compared to human based assessments. Consequently, Al may reduce costs due to avoidance of inefficiencies, unnecessary treatments, and late diagnoses.
Literature Review. Researchers discovered approximately 1,100 published articles on the topic since 2023. However, after analyzing the literature in greater detailed soon learned about 130 were truly on point. The authors also found that most studies were published in journals related to information technology, not medicine, or journals dedicated to the nexus of AI and medicine. AI seems to be most widely adopted in cardiology and radiology and rather at an early stage in dermatology and psychiatry. Interesting that there are not many studies of AI in medicine within business management journals.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AI ADOPTION IN HEALTHCARE: THE FINDINGS
Macro-economic readiness. Researchers at Science Direct found that macro-economic readiness is mainly driven by governments. For example, researchers conclude adequate IT infrastructure, e.g., access to smart devices for the population and energy adequacy, especially for remote areas and certain populations drive adoption. “AI communities”, is also a critical. Essentially, when there are established partnerships, collaborations, etc. the network effects kicks in and the impact is exponential.
Technological readiness. Researchers concluded that technological readiness depends on three factors:
- The importance of overcoming algorithmic challenges, e.g. lack of data, and/or inferior quality, etc.
- Provide a compelling, multi-faceted value proposition. In other words, clearly added value in the form of efficiency, user-friendliness, adherence to data-privacy regulations, interoperability, and the ability to tailor the application to individual needs.
- Center the AI application on real-world evidence. One size fit all is not an optimal solution. The AI system used must be adapted to the health institution’s individual needs, preferences, and contexts of use.
Regulatory readiness. The authors suggest close collaborations with regulators. The author points to three key issues: political support, clarification of legal questions, and establishment of regulations. As a former government regulator, this is sage advice but not easy to execute because contrary to popular belief, the “government” is not a unified organism.
Organizational readiness. A failure to plan is a plan to failure, say researchers, hence they strongly recommend preparing the organization before implementing an AI health care system. Researchers recommend four steps: prepare an organizational strategy, develop a supportive organizational culture, clear tasks and assignments, and an adequate IT setup.
User readiness. Recognizing that organizations consists of people, researchers says place users are at the center. Furthermore, researchers conclude four facts are the key to user readiness:
- Awareness: in other words, do users know the technology exist?
- Beliefs: do users believe the technology will work?
- Personal innovativeness: are users willing to try something new?
- The financial situation of the individual.
Doctor Lazaro, now you know what the literature says. I end with a proverb from Spain: ”donde hay hambre, no hay pan duro.”
Until Next Time,
Yogi Nelson
Blockchain & AI Forum 