How Tech Leaders Compete In The Battle Of Healthcare AI
Technology vendors have invested in AI and ML to revolutionize healthcare due to these tools’ groundbreaking potential.
Nuance Communications, Inc., a Microsoft Company, hasannounced Dragon Ambient eXperience Express - the first clinical documentation application to combine conversational and ambient AI with OpenAI's latest model GPT-4 powered by Microsoft Azure.
DAX Express is available for users of DAX. It will be an add-on to Dragon Medical One, a voice dictation solution to reduce further burnout-causing cognitive burdens and empower physicians to focus on exceptional patient care, experiences, and outcomes.
Google also displayed its progress in healthcare last week atThe Check Up by unveiling its latest advancement—Med-PaLM 2. Med-PaLM 2 showed 85% accuracy, nearly 25% more accurate than last year, in responding to various medical queries with minimal effort. With Med-PaLM 2, users can quickly expect reliable and precise responses to their questions.
Healthcare CIOs are not as enthusiastic about the announcements. In an email exchange with Tanya Townsend, LCMC Health's Chief Information Officer, saw the Nuance press release and said, "I didn’t really follow what’s different from their already existing ambient platform. I guess it will enhance it, but not sure I’m following the how.”
Ochsner Health's Chief Information Officer, Chris Belmont said, "We used DAX very well. It worked but still not close to full AI".
As healthcare professionals remain optimistic about artificial intelligence's potential, they are zeroing in on three key areas.
Integration and Customization
Healthcare technology leaders rely primarily on commercial vendors to integrate AI and ML into their products seamlessly. Customizing AI and ML capabilities based on user preference are now possible. For instance, in the DAX example, it will take time for the software to correctly comprehend conversations between a physician and patient to document those discussions in the medical record accurately. In cases of doctors who have strong accents? It could potentially require additional time for the AI to adjust.
Performance
The value of AI and ML in healthcare is immeasurable, as these cutting-edge technologies hold the potential to revolutionize patient care, streamline operations, and enhance decision-making processes. By providing accurate, timely, and data-driven insights, AI and ML systems enable healthcare professionals to make more informed decisions, leading to better patient outcomes and personalized care.
Healthcare CIOs are using AI and ML to automate repetitive tasks, allowing medical professionals to focus on higher-level functions and improve operational efficiency.
However, the performance of AI and ML systems is contingent upon their ability to learn from diverse, high-quality data and the robustness of their underlying algorithms. Ensuring optimal performance is essential to gain healthcare stakeholders' trust and maintaining these transformative technologies' credibility.
As AI and ML continue to evolve and integrate into the healthcare ecosystem, their performance will be a critical determinant of the industry's ability to address pressing challenges, such as rising healthcare costs, an aging population, and the growing burden of chronic diseases.
Vendor Support and Customer Success
I recognize the importance of vendor support and having customer references in our partnerships with AI and ML solution providers.
AI and ML technologies are changing rapidly, so it is essential to partner with vendors who understand the distinct needs of our industry and organization. Quality vendors will go beyond simply providing systems and services to become reliable partners whom we can count on for transparency, responsiveness, and trustworthiness in times of crisis. Decision-makers must have access to crucial vendor contacts they can contact whenever needed and during an emergency.
A strong customer success program ensures that our staff is well-trained, up-to-date with the latest advancements, and capable of leveraging AI and ML technologies to improve patient care and operational efficiency. As a healthcare technology executive, I am committed to forging lasting partnerships with vendors who prioritize customer success with the dedication to supporting our organization's goals of enhancing patient outcomes and revolutionizing healthcare delivery.
AI and ML technology are merely the tips of the iceberg when advancing healthcare. There have been admirable developments in this field, yet with continued investment in innovation within these technologies. We can guarantee that more life-saving breakthroughs become available for the industry.
