Like many other industries technology, and automation are revolutionising our healthcare system, making some processes redundant and others vital for our healthcare workers.
The impact of AI could be far-reaching streamlining processes such as patient scheduling, claim processing, and other administrative functions freeing workers for other essential tasks.
But while increased digitisation in healthcare creates efficiency, it requires a new type of demand for workers to upskill in areas such as interpersonal communication.
For example, while automation could help predict diagnoses with greater accuracy, doctors will be required to create unique and personal healthcare plans for their patients, becoming more human-centric.
The idea of human-centred healthcare is to prioritise processes that aid human-to-human engagement to improve patient well-being, focusing on their needs and requirements.
Such a transformation in healthcare would likewise transform training in education institutes with hospitals collaborating on patient-focused curriculums for a new healthcare culture.
Doctors and healthcare workers will need to evolve and adapt alongside these processes and technologies, and though cognitive AI is a few years away, AI algorithms are already used in some hospitals in the processing of data to aid diagnosis.
The transition to modern automated workflows will be crucial for increasing healthcare demands, especially with an ageing population and disease management for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, which are the leading causes of death in Australia.
While technology is vital for patient care, the human-focused nature of treatment will be the saving grace in healthcare allowing more time for a modern and personal touch.
What do you think of artificial intelligence in healthcare?
