28 February 2019: Microsoft invited me as the President of Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia to talk on Artificial Intelligence [AI] and its future in this region. My main concern was in order to have AI in Healthcare, all public and private hospitals have to transform their records into Electronic Medical Record [EMR] platforms. Without EMR there will be no progression in AI for healthcare. Besides that, the importance of educating health care providers to accept and understand AI is the second important thrust.
Patients are pretty well versed in getting the required information from the internet and social media. Healthcare providers should be a step ahead equipped with AI in their daily processes from writing down medical notes, investigations, diagnosis and treatment. The industry is ready with AI in health care but the healthcare providers will have to take the step forward to utilise this information.
Virtual Digitalisation is here at our door step and also intelligent machines like medical robots. We are soon going to refine our steps toward using 3D models and utilisation of genetic information into the diagnostic tools. These are the key differences that we are going to experience in the next decade. Predicting outcomes of treatment and providing realistic prognostic value will be the main real essence of AI in healthcare.
Our main challenges ahead would be to over come the possible initial high cost using AI platforms, changing mind sets of end users, convincing stake holders that this paradigm change is going to be inevitable and setting up clear regulatory guidelines. I suggested that medical schools should teach undergraduates on AI so that the future generation will use it as soon as they get into the work force.
