When we think of AI or Artificial Intelligence, we usually think of the following science fiction tropes, like super-advanced sentient machines that become the bane of humanity. In reality, however, what is currently considered to be AI technology is nowhere near advanced enough for that scenario to happen. However, AI technologies have advanced sufficiently enough to be able to contribute to the development and innovation of many industries, including healthcare. But exactly how can AI solutions for the healthcare industry actually help this sector? Read on to find out.
Extracting Valuable Information from Big Data
The answer lies in big data. Big data is the collective term for the voluminous amount of digitally-stored information that a company or enterprise has. This information could be anything and everything—from emails, receipts, and company memos to customer and employee information, product testing results and so on.
Now, big data by itself doesn’t do all that much for hospitals, health payers, or institutions, save for being a huge database of everything they’ve done and been involved in. However, when that company uses data analysis software solutions that are powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, then opportunities start to open up.
By learning within the parameters set by the user, an AI system can find patterns from the big data and start creating groups of smaller data. These groups often link in certain ways to other distinct groups extracted from the big data, and the associations that emerge will be very valuable in finding solutions to many existing challenges or in trying to comprehend clinical variations that affect the delivery and quality of care—whether it’s about understanding what to expect from certain medical treatments or drawing accurate predictions regarding the cost of specific medical procedures.
Improving Patient Care Delivery and Business Operations
When we apply big data analysis through artificial intelligence solutions to healthcare, the benefits can be numerous and very significant.
For instance, by having a hospital’s big data analyzed by an artificial intelligence system, hospital staff can map out the best healthcare plans and interventions for specific patients. From the big data discoveries, the staff will be able to see which doctors in their payroll that specialize in treating the patient’s condition have the highest chances of success. They’ll be also able to predict which prescribed medicines help the most in terms of treatment and recovery, or what other supplemental medical procedures should be considered to improve the quality of care. In this manner, high quality of care can be delivered, as guesswork and trial-and-error will be eliminated.
Big data analysis with AI solutions can also help healthcare organizations manage their business better. For example, by analyzing their big data with such solutions, these organizations can find links and patterns that can help determine which providers or patients have a known history of fraud, and as such, counter fraudulent activities even before they happen. The proper technological tools can also help them pinpoint errors in insurance claim processes that result in claim denials, allowing them to address the issues promptly.
With all these benefits, it’s clear why artificial intelligence is the next frontier for healthcare innovation. It does so much to empower healthcare organizations to deliver the best care possible to patients without costly wastage, while at the same time helping them to protect their bottom line. This gives healthcare providers more freedom and resources to continue refining their expertise in healthcare. We can only hope that more and more organizations begin to follow suit and adopt AI and machine learning technologies in their operations.
