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October 02, 2019

American International School of Medicine Shares How Artificial Intelligence is Enhancing Patient Care



Medical technology, for all of its advances and outstanding accomplishments, still has room for further growth. As stunning as that may sound, artificial intelligence is becoming a major help for doctors and patients alike, ensuring that more information is readily available, superior hospital results and highly personalized patient experiences. ABI Research (News - Alert), a market research advisory firm, estimates that artificial intelligence will save the healthcare industry $52 billion as early as 2021. The American International School of Medicine, currently in its 20th anniversary since opening its doors, has compiled a list of ways that artificial intelligence is being incorporated more by doctors and, as such, improving patient care.



Virtual Medicine Capabilities

Accessibility has long been problematic within the healthcare system, as patients have grown accustomed to handling unfathomable waiting times before seeing a specialist, which is costing the US $89 billion in lost time annually. With artificial intelligence, the American International School of Medicine envisions access becoming a steadier process and the reduction of high re-admission rates as well. Through AI-enabled tools, which are expected to grow within the industry at an annual rate of 16.5 percent from 2017 to 2023, healthcare providers can observe their patients' status from a remote location, such as their home or a clinic. Overworked virtual care teams can prioritize patients more comfortably and be more convinced in their decision-making process.

For example, Virtua Memorial Hospital utilized a rules-based analytics engine to consistently monitor patients who were classified as being at risk for post-operation respiratory depression. Specific criteria and filters were in place to notify healthcare providers of any concerns, paving the way for the system to correctly single out all at-risk patients and reduce false concerns by more than 90 percent. Virtual information can let doctors determine which patients are the sickest and in need of instant care, making the process less painstaking for both.

A Second Set of Eyes

Rather than reaching out to another medical professional to discuss a patient's next step or diagnosis, possibly forfeiting precious time, doctors can see if their opinion aligns with those of artificial intelligence. The European Respiratory Society International Congress recently conducted a study which found that AI can aid pulmonologists in clarifying respiratory symptoms meticulously and instill confidence in them making a proper diagnosis. While artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a replacement for doctors, the American International School of Medicine states it certainly boasts the ability to help specialists in every field of medicine, presenting data that is both timely and accurate.

Compressed & Combined Data

As diligent as doctors must be in their analysis and research, it can be a time-consuming matter, one that can possibly have an adverse effect on a patient's recovery. Artificial intelligence presents doctors with data from multiple resources and thorough analytics that will place the patient on the most suitable route to improvement. Diseases that are less known or encountered may stump a specialist, begging the question as to how they can adequately treat the patient. Having the data combined and easy to scan through via artificial intelligence will only serve the doctor well. It can also help patients avoid further troubles, as certain symptoms may not be associated with their current condition but can be early warning signs of another threat. Specialists can use artificial intelligence to alert them of these worrisome symptoms, keeping them one step ahead by providing a diagnosis or devising a risk profile. Health records, genetics tests and lab tests, to name a few examples, are viable options for data that can help create algorithms for this purpose.

Surgery Assistant

The American International School of Medicine explains that artificial intelligence can examine a patient's medical records and gauge where a surgeon should use their instrument on the body. Robot-assisted surgery, something that is proven to decrease a patient's hospital stay, is capable of guiding new surgical methods by assessing data from previous operations. Surgery complications are constantly within the realm of possibility; however, a study of 379 orthopedic patients spread throughout nine surgical sites concluded that the assistance of artificial intelligence during a surgery saw a five-time reduction in surgical complications and seven-fold reduction in revision surgeries in comparison to when surgeons operated alone. The American International School of Medicine says moving forward, as artificial intelligence's impact continues to reverberate within the field of medicine, robot-assisted surgeries will likely become the new standard procedure.

Image Analysis

Another aspect of healthcare that requires a significant amount of time is image analysis, which stands to be resolved quicker due to the introduction of artificial intelligence. In fact, an MIT (News - Alert)-led research team developed a machine learning algorithm that can analyze 3D scans up to 1000 times faster than today's routine results. Surgeons will be able to act promptly after receiving almost real-time information during a procedure. Remote areas, where patients are notably separated from healthcare providers and struggle with access, can become more dependent on artificial intelligence. Patients can take advantage of this telemedicine feature by forwarding photos from a camera phone, effectively uncovering a care solution.



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