By:- Puja Mehrotra
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is set to bring a major revolution in the world of healthcare in the next 5-6 years. Whether it’s patient care, disease detection, data collection of patients, or assistance in treatment, AI is expected to not only bring speed to the healthcare system but also increase its efficiency and impact in the coming years. Furthermore, with the help of AI, the number of staff in hospitals can be reduced, and treatment may become more affordable.
During an exclusive interview with India.com, Dr. D. Nageshwar Reddy, a globally renowned gastroenterologist, Padma awardee, and chairman of AIG Hospital, shared these insights.
Dr. Reddy stated, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) will accelerate global healthcare systems, enhance efficiency, and also improve effectiveness. It will not only make treatment better but also simplify hospital management.”
He believes that AI will also impact patients’ pockets. Patients’ bills will be reduced by 20 to 30 percent. Treatment will become more affordable and accurate.
By analyzing large amounts of data in real-time, AI can help improve clinical and non-clinical decision-making, reduce medical variability, and assist in addressing staff shortages or reducing staff.
In an exclusive conversation with India.com, gastroenterologist Dr. D. Reddy said that the most important factor for Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be accuracy, meaning precise data. If AI is provided with accurate information, it will deliver accurate results.
When asked about the concern of AI (Meera) replacing doctors, he said that AI is not a substitute for doctors, but rather an excellent tool to assist them.
During the 20th Operation Program at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, while delivering a lecture, Dr. Reddy cautioned doctors, saying, “If doctors do not use AI, they will fall behind those doctors who are using it.”
Sharing his experience, Dr. Reddy said that AI-powered tools and algorithms are also revolutionizing the way diseases are detected and diagnosed. He further emphasized the importance of data, stating that choosing the right data is crucial for AI. If the data is entered correctly, it can improve the patient’s disease outcomes as well as reduce the costs incurred during hospital treatment.
During his lecture, Dr. Reddy shared an experience where an MRI was done for a gastro patient. The MRI appeared to be perfectly fine. It was shown to doctors both in India and abroad, and all of them dismissed any concerns about a serious illness after reviewing the report. However, when the 3-year-old MRI report was analyzed by AI, it predicted the possibility of pancreatic cancer in the near future, which later proved to be true.
AI in Medical Diagnosis and Surgery
Dr. Nageshwar Reddy explained how AI, which we cannot see, is able to detect serious illnesses during examinations. He shared the case of a TB patient, where a person came in, and all the tests showed no serious illness, but the patient insisted that he was unwell. Then they used AI for the diagnosis, which not only detected an abnormal protein but also identified a small spot in the X-ray report. Later, the disease was found to be tuberculosis. Treatment was started, and the patient was saved from the severity of TB in time, recovering within just one month.
He explained how AI can instantly identify skin marks and detect cancerous tumors during endoscopic optical biopsies. If you show AI a tumor, mark, or suspicious image, it confidently tells you whether the mark is cancerous or not. If it’s not cancerous, it also indicates the chances of it turning into cancer in the future. It can determine whether it is cancer or not.
AI also performs surgery with great precision, helping patients receive better treatment by minimizing blood leakage and ensuring fine cutting during operations.
Smartwatches and rings have also brought a new revolution in medicine and AI. These two devices closely monitor fluctuations in blood pressure, sugar levels, pulse, and oxygen levels, providing real-time health updates. AI analyzes this data and continuously warns and informs the wearer about any abnormal trends. This enables timely treatment. Previously, developing new medications would take more than 20 years. With AI, the discovery of new drugs has been reduced to just two years. The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines is a great example of AI that the whole world should know about. Dr. Reddy explained how AI in ICUs, where two nurses are usually assigned to one bed, can reduce costs by assigning one nurse to five patients. This will not only make hospital management possible but will also have an impact on the pockets of patients and their attendants.
When India.com asked when this would be possible, Dr. Reddy responded that it would be possible in five to six years.
Challenges with AI
When asked about the risks and challenges, Dr. Nageshwar Reddy clearly stated that data must be kept accurate; only then will AI provide accurate information. If the data is tampered with, it could have serious consequences. Cybersecurity is also a major concern. Dr. Reddy mentioned that if AI provides incorrect information, the consequences could be severe. The government must also create regulations for the use of AI in healthcare. Data security will be crucial.
