Next Frontiers in AI and Healthtech
In September we welcomed four great speakers to a share their perspectives on the future of technology and AI in healthcare.
- Rob Thompson, DHSC Chief Digital and Data Technology Officer
- Pia Hardy, Nvidia Healthcare and Life Science Lead
- Dominic King, Microsoft AI
- Lawrence Tallon, MHRA Chief Executive
We were hosted in a new space at Microsoft so many thanks to them for their wonderful hospitality.
All speakers referred to the enormous potential of technology, including AI, in healthcare: the 30% of healthcare professionals’ time reviewing data and information which has already been collected elsewhere, the significant opportunity to improve quality, the potential to reduce/eradicate low level tasks such as changing appointment dates/times.
At the same time, all recognised the ongoing challenges: the resistance to change, the lack of investment in tech/AI, the lack of skills and capabilities to develop and, crucially, to adopt, concerns about safety and evidence base, product liability issues.
This needs to be balanced against the risk of not adopting technology which has the potential to rapidly reduce waiting lists, significantly improve access and deliver a step change improvement in quality – so both sides need to be considered/weighed up.
While most of the focus is on technology to underpin clinical processes and care pathways, there are also numerous opportunities to improve more back office services e.g. procurement, scheduling of staff, appointments, bookings and so on. These should all be accelerated, not stalled.
In concluding, the room felt we should be more open about the opportunities and challenges and not shy away from the need to weigh up risks on both sides –in order to deliver a step change improvement in health and healthcare.
Kindly hosted by Microsoft AI
Photos by Hamza Drabu