AI could help the 4.5 billion people without essential healthcare. By 2030, the healthcare industry could be short of 11 million professionals worldwide. AI has the power to close this gap and improve global healthcare.
This could be the boost needed to steer global health efforts back on course. Achieving the UN’s goal of universal health coverage by 2030, which is becoming more urgent every day, is crucial.
Healthcare still lags in AI use compared to other industries. The World Economic Forum’s white paper, The Future of AI-Enabled Health: Leading the Way, noted this.
“AI transformation goes beyond adopting new tools,” the paper notes. “We must completely reimagine how healthcare is delivered and made accessible.”
Still, momentum is building. The generative AI healthcare market is expected to reach $2.7 billion this year and $17 billion by 2034.
At Koi Fortune, embracing this shift isn’t about innovation but equity, access, and building a healthier future. Here are six powerful ways AI is already reshaping healthcare as we know it.
AI Can Interpret Brain Scans
A new AI tool is twice as accurate as doctors at analyzing brain scans for strokes. It was developed using data from 800 patients and tested on 2,000 more.
The results were impressive. The AI system could also accurately determine the timing of a stroke. This timing is key information for professionals.
Dr. Paul Bentley, a neurologist, told Health Tech Newspaper: “Most strokes caused by clots are treatable if caught in time.” Patients seen within 4.5 hours can receive medical and surgical care.” Patients can get surgical treatment for up to 6 hours. After that, it’s tough to tell if these treatments will work. This matters because delays could make strokes untreatable. Doctors must know precisely when the stroke started and whether it’s still reversible.
AI Detects Bone Fractures Doctors Miss
Up to 1 in 10 broken bones go unnoticed in urgent care. X-ray staff are also understaffed and overworked.
AI can help by handling the first scan, reducing unnecessary X-rays, and catching fractures early. According to NICE, the tech is both reliable and safe to use, and it may reduce the need for follow-up visits.
Still, growing concerns exist about how quickly AI is being introduced into healthcare.
“Users must be well trained,” said Dr. Caroline Green from Oxford’s Institute for Ethics in AI. “They need to understand how to manage risks, like AI giving incorrect information.”
Detecting Early Signs of More Than 1,000 Diseases
AstraZeneca’s new AI system can detect diseases long before symptoms appear. It analyzes data from 500,000 people in the UK, helping predict illnesses like Alzheimer’s and kidney disease, often years ahead.
Dr. Slavé Petrovski explained that many diseases progress long before people feel sick. AI can now spot early health risks that might slip past trained professionals.
A UK study found that an AI tool detected 64% of brain lesions linked to epilepsy. Radiologists missed these. Trained on over 1,100 MRI scans, it spotted tiny or hidden lesions faster and more accurately than humans.
Dr. Konrad Wagstyl compared it to “finding a single letter hidden in five pages of solid black ink.” AI isn’t perfect. Yet, it can significantly speed up diagnosis and treatment when used with doctors.
Clinical Chatbots to Guide Healthcare Decisions
Doctors must make fast, smart decisions, but AI isn’t always reliable. A US study found that popular AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini often gave weak medical answers. A more intelligent system, ChatRWD, provided helpful answers 58% of the time by accessing real medical information instantly.
AI also helps with patient care before you even see a doctor. A 2024 report spotlighted a tool named Huma. It allows doctors to reduce admin time and reduce hospital readmissions by 30%.
The future? More tools for healthy people to check their health. Improved digital care options for those who are unwell. It’s all about making healthcare faster, smarter, and easier to access.
AI for Healthcare Admin
Admin work takes up a lot of time in healthcare. Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot and Google’s AI tools are here to help healthcare providers. They aim to make their work easier. These tools help during doctor visits. They let you listen and take notes, so doctors can focus on what matters—patients.
In Germany, the AI platform Elea has slashed diagnosis times from weeks to hours. Its creators say AI should be seen as a helpful partner, not a problem. As Dr. Sebastian Casu put it: “No one goes into healthcare to do admin all day.”
Still, not everyone is ready to trust AI in healthcare. A UK survey revealed that while only 29% of people trust AI to diagnose them, most are comfortable with it supporting doctors.
That’s why regulation is so important. The UK and US have strict rules for AI in medicine to ensure it’s safe, accurate, and trustworthy. As the FDA said, we must treat this powerful tech seriously.
Jessica has a flair for writing engaging blogs and articles. She enjoys reading and learning new things which enables her to write different topics and fields with ease. She also strives to break down complex concepts and make them easy for anybody to comprehend.
