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Impact of AI in Healthcare: Why Hospitals Should Utilize Artificial Intelligence to Detect, Contain and Treat Infectious Disease

Why AI is so Transformative to Hospitals 

Every hospital should be looking for a training solution in artificial intelligence and how to interpret their data to improve public health, especially during an outbreak. For example, an AI platform was the first to identify a recent epidemic of coronavirus in China – even before large scale public health organizations, and regional hospitals, became aware of the significance of the threat [1]. 

AI technology and applications are transforming how the healthcare field, from direct care to clinical research, works to enhance patient outcomes and cut spending [2]. 

Hospitals need AI and training to detect, quarantine, and treat infectious disease factors. Per a recent report [3], Artificial Intelligence is “poised to be the engine that drives improvements across the care continuum.” Listing a few significant ways that AI impacts the healthcare industry, including smart devices, reducing the burdens of electronic health record use, and helping to identify infection patterns, such as coronavirus symptoms  to name a few. Click here to learn more about how AI can detect an epidemic outbreak. 

Proactive vs. Reactive 

The reality is that none of this technology is new; many of the algorithms are available and ready for use. Dozens of commercial entities have been formulated to utilize the algorithms in combination with data that organizations already have to make smarter decisions.  

There is a lot of data available regarding patient health, and it can be burdensome, or impossible, for doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, in general, to stay up-to-date without the help they need to build skills. There is a heavy reliance on monitoring machines, which can give a high number of false positives when it comes to emergencies. A recent article [4] stated that in a traditional ICU, nurses respond to an alarm every 90 seconds, two-thirds of which turn out to be false alarms, meaning they don't signal real danger. Rather than an alert giving notice at the time of a major problem, AI can detect possible issues in advance, allowing the medical team to create a plan. 

Employees Need Training  

For hospitals and public health organizations, employees need access to commercial tools, which cannot be used effectively without training inside of those organizations. Artificial Intelligence training is not something people in life science, healthcare, and public health fields are learning in school - it’s a new discipline. Our very own Dr. Ann Marie Sastry discusses with Yahoo! Finance about the significant disconnect between staff and AI and how training can close the gap. Click here to watch. 

Every hospital will need employees to have a basic understanding of data science and AI.  From executive to front-line staff, training is essential to collect the right data to make informed decisions. Executives need to understand how to move their hospital data infrastructure to a platform that leverages valuable data to improve patient care. Click Here to learn more about how AI can help to reduce mortality rates.  

Amesite offers a 30-day quick-start program to help hospitals train their employees on how to collect and understand the correct data, utilizing algorithms and commercial solutions. Learn more about Amesite’s turn-key training solution here.  

References: 

[1]: https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/29/coronavirus-response-artificial-intelligence-becoming-useful/ 

[2]: https://www.forbes.com/sites/insights-intelai/2019/02/11/ai-and-healthcare-a-giant-opportunity/#6c368edb4c68 

[3]: https://healthitanalytics.com/news/top-12-ways-artificial-intelligence-will-impact-healthcare 

[4]: https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/how-hospitals-are-using-ai-save-their-sickest-patients-curb-ncna1032861 

[5]: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181120151848.htm