Artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is already producing some significant outcomes in the realms of diagnostic imaging, data analysis and scientific research and it is touted as a game-changer in how we live our lives.
There are, however, key challenges around, safety, regulation, data and trust of AI driven outcomes for both clinicians and patients.
Healthcare Leader is the brand for primary care in the health and care system and, building on our years of supporting the clinical commissioner community, we have produced this report The Rise of the Machines: AI, digital and data in healthcare which takes an in-depth look at this issue.
In September we conducted a roundtable Healthcare data: How ICBs can encourage patient trust with data experts and integrated care board (ICB) leaders, which highlights that building trust takes time and relies on early transparent engagement with patients and clinicians.
This does not match the pace of change seen with AI where governments are working hard to keep up and it is made doubly difficult when even the experts that are at the frontier of this technology admit that there are a lot of unknowns.
In October we carried out a survey on attitudes to AI among our audience. The findings, outlined in this report, highlight the tension between the positive attitudes to AI set against the concerns around data sharing.
We also outline the potential and pitfalls of AI in healthcare where leaders in the field discuss current successes and concerns.
To gain greater insight on developments in this area we spoke to Microsoft UK’s, managing director of government, healthcare and life sciences, Jacob West, NHS Greater Manchester’s chief intelligence and analytics officer, Matt Hennessey and BT’s director of healthcare at the Enterprise unit, Professor Sultan Mahmud.
The report also examines the role of data governance which is often cited as a real barrier to progress in this area.
It’s clear that greater understanding and communication around the role of AI will help those decision makers in healthcare lead the charge in using this tool to its full potential and this report hopefully serves as a starting point to understanding the issues in this specific context.
