The potential and challenges of AI and digital innovations
Authors
Tiziano Innocenti1, Nino Cartabellotta1
1 GIMBE Foundation, Bologna, Italy
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovations are poised to redefine the landscape of healthcare, the focus of this year's World Evidence-Based Healthcare Day on "health and beyond: from evidence to action" reminds us of the transformative potential and challenges these technologies bring, especially in translating evidence into practice.
Revolutionising the evidence ecosystem
AI and digital tools are transforming the evidence ecosystem through generation, synthesis and translation of evidence. Their significant impact on evidence generation and synthesis enables quicker and more comprehensive analyses than ever before. However, their real potential lies in translating this evidence into clinical practice and policy. AI can analyse vast datasets to identify trends and patterns that human researchers might overlook, providing new insights that can shape clinical guidelines and health policies.
For instance, a telehealth approach in rural India has enabled remote diagnostics and consultations, significantly reducing travel times and healthcare costs for rural populations (Rajkumar et al., 2023). This can be considered disruptive if we bear in mind that only 37% of India’s rural population can access inpatient services within 5 km and only 8% of patients can access outpatient healthcare facilities (Kasthuri, 2018). This example highlights the role of telehealth in bridging the rural–urban healthcare divide by delivering healthcare services in resource-constrained settings.
Yet, the fast pace of technological advancement risks creating a gap between the technology itself and its use by citizens, healthcare providers and policymakers. If not addressed, this gap could impede the effective translation of synthesised evidence into widespread clinical practice, undermining the potential benefits of these innovations.
Addressing the technological and inclusivity gaps
As we stand on the brink of a digital revolution in healthcare, it is crucial to bridge the technological and inclusivity gaps. The advancement of AI and digital tools presents unprecedented opportunities to improve healthcare delivery. However, it also brings important challenges that must be addressed to ensure these innovations reach their full potential. To address these challenges and bridge these gaps, it is essential to focus on two main areas: usability and accessibility.
Enhancing usability through design and integration
The usability of digital tools is essential, especially in healthcare, where providers have varying technical skills and comfort levels with new technologies. This is why AI and digital tools need to have user-friendly interfaces that can be seamlessly integrated into existing workflows. It is crucial to involve healthcare professionals in the development process to customise the technologies to their specific needs and contexts. This ensures that the tools improve, rather than complicate, the practice of medicine.
In addition, digital tools should be supported by solid support systems, such as comprehensive training programs tailored to different skill levels. These programs should teach how to use the new tools and explain their benefits and limitations, fostering a deeper understanding and acceptance among healthcare providers.
Ensuring accessibility to overcome disparities
Accessibility is equally crucial. Technological advancements must be distributed equitably across all healthcare settings and countries, including underserved areas often lacking basic infrastructure, such as reliable internet access. Governments and institutions should invest in infrastructure development supporting advanced technology deployment across all regions, including rural and underserved urban areas.
In addition to infrastructure investments, financial models must be developed to support acquiring and maintaining advanced technologies in less affluent institutions. Subsidies, grants and other funding models could ensure that smaller, resource-poor healthcare facilities are included in the digital transition.
Fostering inclusivity through tailored digital health solutions
Inclusivity in digital health goes beyond merely providing access; it involves creating solutions that meet the diverse cultural, linguistic and physical needs of various populations (Whitehead et al., 2023). For example, AI applications can be designed to offer real-time language translation services, which is crucial in areas with a wide variety of spoken languages, thus making healthcare more accessible to non-native speakers. Additionally, adaptive technologies such as voice recognition and touch-free interfaces can greatly benefit individuals with physical disabilities, allowing for easier interaction with healthcare technologies.
Another crucial aspect is the development of digital tools that address the unique health needs of different populations. For instance, apps customized to monitor maternal healthcare during pregnancy could enhance knowledge of prenatal care, compliance with prenatal checkups and the follow-up rate (Liu & Wang, 2021).
Such innovations not only bridge the inclusivity gap but also ensure that each individual has access to personalised and effective healthcare solutions. By integrating inclusivity directly into the fabric of healthcare technology development, we can ensure that digital health solutions are truly beneficial for all and address the broad spectrum of society's needs and challenges. This approach not only supports the overarching goals of healthcare equity and inclusivity but also strengthens the impact of technological advancements on global health outcomes.
A global call to action for a collaborative approach to evidence translation
Ultimately, addressing the technological gap requires a collaborative approach involving stakeholders at all levels, from policymakers and technology developers to healthcare providers and patients. This collaboration should aim to create an inclusive ecosystem where new technologies are accessible, affordable and capable of addressing the specific needs of all user groups. Moreover, it is essential to recognize that these technological interventions intersect with broader societal challenges, notably health inequities.
In many regions, disparities in health outcomes are not just a result of differences in healthcare access but also broader social determinants, such as economic stability, education, physical environment and social and community context. For example, AI-driven analytics can identify regions suffering from healthcare service disparities and predict where interventions will be needed most urgently (Krishnan et al., 2023). This predictive capacity allows for a more strategic allocation of resources, which can mitigate some of the systemic inequities that plague healthcare systems worldwide.
Further integrating AI and digital tools offers a unique opportunity to address these inequities directly. By providing remote diagnostics and telemedicine services, digital tools can deliver high-quality healthcare to underserved and rural areas that traditionally lack access. This technological leap not only improves health outcomes but also integrates these communities more fully into the healthcare system, bridging the gap in a way that is responsive to the needs of diverse populations.
In conclusion, by enhancing the usability and accessibility of AI and digital tools, we can ensure that these technologies fulfil their promise of transforming healthcare. Only through deliberate and thoughtful action can we close the technological gap and move towards a future where everyone benefits equally from the advances in evidence-based healthcare.
This inclusive approach is particularly crucial as we consider the broader context of World EBHC Day 2024, emphasising the need for intersectoral action to address the complex challenges of a polycrisis. By linking healthcare technology advancements directly to societal needs and challenges, we can foster a healthcare environment that not only heals but also rectifies historical inequities, ensuring that all members of society have the opportunity to lead healthy lives.
Key take-home messages and recommendations:
• Embrace usability and integration: To maximise the benefits of AI and digital innovations in healthcare, it is crucial that these technologies be designed with user-friendly interfaces that seamlessly integrate into existing healthcare workflows. Involving healthcare professionals in development ensures that these tools enhance, rather than complicate, medical practice.
• Ensure equitable access: Governments and institutions must prioritise infrastructure investments and develop financial models to support the acquisition and maintenance of advanced technologies across all healthcare settings. This commitment is essential to overcoming disparities and ensuring that technological advancements benefit all, not just those in well-resourced areas.
• Foster collaborative efforts: Closing the technological gap in healthcare requires a united effort from all stakeholders, including policymakers, technology developers, healthcare providers and patients. By working together, we can create an inclusive ecosystem where new technologies are not only accessible and affordable but also tailored to meet the diverse needs of global populations.
References
Kasthuri A. (2018). Challenges to healthcare in India: The five A's. Indian Journal of Community Medicine : Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 43(3), 141–143. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijcm.IJCM_194_18
Krishnan, G., Singh, S., Pathania, M., Gosavi, S., Abhishek, S., Parchani, A., & Dhar, M. (2023). Artificial intelligence in clinical medicine: Catalyzing a sustainable global healthcare paradigm. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 6, 1227091. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2023.1227091
Liu, Y., & Wang, X. (2021). Application of smart mobile medical services in maternal health care management. Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging, 2021, 6249736. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6249736
Rajkumar, E., Gopi, A., Joshi, A., Thomas, A. E., Arunima, N. M., Ramya, G. S., Kulkarni, P., Rahul, P., George, A. J., Romate, J., & Abraham, J. (2023). Applications, benefits and challenges of telehealth in India during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08970-8
Whitehead, L., Talevski, J., Fatehi, F., & Beauchamp, A. (2023). Barriers to and facilitators of digital health among culturally and linguistically diverse populations: Qualitative systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e42719. https://doi.org/10.2196/42719
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this World EBHC Day Blog, as well as any errors or omissions, are the sole responsibility of the author and do not represent the views of the World EBHC Day Steering Committee, Official Partners or Sponsors; nor does it imply endorsement by the aforementioned parties.
