How AI can make health care better

The Economist
15 Feb 202212:28

TLDRArtificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing healthcare by enhancing patient diagnosis and treatment efficiency. With a growing patient base and a shortage of doctors, AI can analyze retinal scans for eye diseases faster than humans, potentially improving diagnoses in various medical fields. Concerns about patient privacy must be addressed, but with advancements in data protection, AI could significantly improve patient care. Collaborations like Dr. Keane's with Bitfont aim to join data dots better while preserving privacy, speeding up the development of new treatments. AI's role in virtual trials can make new medical technologies safer for patients, offering a promising future for healthcare.

Takeaways

  • πŸ€– AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by transforming patient diagnosis and treatment processes.
  • πŸ₯ The world faces a significant medical challenge with a growing number of patients and a shortage of doctors, where AI could offer a solution.
  • πŸ‘οΈ AI systems can diagnose over 50 types of eye disease as effectively as doctors but much faster, analyzing retinal scans within seconds.
  • πŸ“ˆ The global challenge of vision impairment is growing, with an estimated 596 million people affected in 2020, expected to increase by 50% by 2050.
  • πŸ”’ There are concerns about patient privacy with AI, especially with incidents like Google DeepMind's inappropriate access to NHS patient data.
  • πŸ”’πŸ”‘ Machine learning startup Bitfont aims to improve patient privacy by acting as a switchboard for data requests without moving the data itself.
  • πŸš€ AI can expedite the approval of new treatments by providing technical guarantees for privacy preservation, speeding up governance processes.
  • πŸ‘©β€βš•οΈ The involvement of clinicians in developing AI models can lead to further discoveries in disease patterns and biomarkers, and bring clinicians closer to patients.
  • πŸ› οΈ AI models are often considered 'black boxes,' raising questions about accountability and interpretability when wrong decisions are made.
  • 🧩 AI can improve the testing of new medical devices by creating virtual trials, which can be safer and more efficient than traditional clinical trials.
  • πŸ“š The future of healthcare is likely to be heavily influenced by AI, with advancements moving towards more sophisticated and knowledge-driven AI systems.

Q & A

  • What is the primary medical problem discussed in the video script?

    -The primary medical problem discussed is the growing number of patients and the shortage of doctors to treat them, suggesting that artificial intelligence could be a potential solution.

  • How does AI have the potential to transform healthcare according to the script?

    -AI has the potential to transform healthcare by improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients, making the testing of new medical procedures more efficient, and analyzing patient data more quickly than humans.

  • What is the condition that Elaine Manor suffers from, and how did it affect her?

    -Elaine Manor suffers from age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the UK and US. It threatened her remaining eyesight, causing her great distress until she received successful treatment.

  • How does the AI system developed by Dr. Keane and his partners work in diagnosing eye diseases?

    -The AI system can diagnose over 50 types of eye disease as accurately as a doctor but much more quickly. It analyzes retinal scans within seconds, delineating disease features that would take a human expert hours or days to identify.

  • What is the global challenge that AI can help address in the field of vision impairment?

    -AI can help address the growing challenge of vision impairment worldwide, with an estimated 596 million people having distance vision impairment in 2020, a figure expected to increase by approximately 50 percent by 2050.

  • What concerns are raised about the use of AI in healthcare, particularly regarding patient privacy?

    -Concerns are raised about the privacy of patients, as AI companies like Google DeepMind have faced legal issues over the use of personally identifying medical records of NHS patients on a potentially legally inappropriate basis.

  • How does the collaboration with machine learning startup Bitfont aim to improve patient privacy?

    -Bitfont aims to improve patient privacy by acting as a switchboard, passing messages between those who want to ask something of the data set and the owner of the data, without the data ever leaving its original location.

  • What benefits could the technology from Bitfont bring to the healthcare ecosystem, aside from privacy preservation?

    -The technology from Bitfont could speed up the governance processes for approving new treatments more quickly and safely, providing technical guarantees that privacy preserving techniques can offer.

  • What is the potential impact of clinicians developing their own AI systems on the healthcare industry?

    -Clinicians developing their own AI systems could lead to further discoveries in disease patterns and biomarkers, empowering them to create tools tailored to patient needs and bringing them closer to patients.

  • What skepticism is expressed about AI in the medical field, and how might it be addressed?

    -Skepticism is expressed about AI models being 'black boxes,' where accountability and interpretability are difficult when wrong decisions are made. Addressing this requires ensuring transparency and understanding in AI decision-making processes.

  • How can AI contribute to the safety and efficiency of testing new medical devices or procedures?

    -AI can contribute by creating virtual trials, allowing for the simulation of procedures in computer-generated models before applying them to patients, reducing risk and speeding up the identification of the right devices and humans for testing.

Outlines

00:00

πŸš€ AI in Healthcare: Transforming Diagnosis and Treatment

The script addresses the pressing issue of an insufficient number of doctors to treat a growing patient population and suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) could be a revolutionary solution in healthcare. AI has the potential to change patient diagnosis and treatment methods, making the testing of new medical procedures more efficient. The script introduces Elaine Manor, who suffered from age-related macular degeneration but was saved by a successful treatment, highlighting the importance of timely care. It also discusses the challenges faced by the NHS with nearly 10 million eye-related appointments per year, leading to delays and some patients going blind. Dr. Keen introduces an AI system developed by him and his partners that can diagnose over 50 types of eye disease as effectively as a doctor but much faster. The script emphasizes the global challenge of vision impairment, with the number of affected individuals expected to increase by 50% by 2050, and how AI can help address this by quickly analyzing retinal scans. Concerns about patient privacy with AI, particularly with Google DeepMind's legal issues regarding the use of NHS data, are also mentioned, but the script suggests that with better data protection, AI could significantly improve patient care.

05:01

πŸ”’ Enhancing Patient Privacy with AI: The Role of Bitfont

This paragraph delves into the challenges of connecting patient data across different medical conditions and the potential of AI to improve this process. Dr. Keen hopes that his collaboration with the machine learning startup Bitfont will enhance patient privacy while also improving data integration. Bitfont operates as a switchboard, passing messages between data requesters and owners without the data ever leaving its original location. This approach could expedite the approval of new treatments by providing additional privacy guarantees. The paragraph also discusses the potential for clinicians to develop their own AI systems, which could lead to new discoveries in disease patterns and biomarkers. The development of AI that can recognize gender from retinal scans, a feat unachievable by humans, is highlighted as an example of such innovation. The script suggests that empowering clinicians to develop tools independently could bring healthcare closer to patients' needs and potentially lead to a new era of medical applications.

10:01

πŸ› οΈ AI in Medical Device Testing: Towards Safer and More Efficient Trials

The final paragraph discusses the role of AI in improving the testing of new medical devices and procedures. It presents the story of Patricia Walker, who had an artificial valve inserted, and how AI could make such procedures safer through virtual trials. The script introduces the work at the University of Leeds, where Dr. Blackman and Professor Alex Frangie use machine learning to create three-dimensional digital replicas for virtual trials. These trials allow for the testing of multiple treatment scenarios on virtual individuals, which is not possible with conventional trials. The efficiency of virtual trials is underscored by comparing them to traditional clinical trials, which are more time-consuming and expensive. The script concludes by looking towards the future of AI in healthcare, suggesting that AI 2.0 will incorporate more knowledge-driven approaches, and that AI will become an indispensable part of healthcare in the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is portrayed as a revolutionary force in healthcare with the potential to transform patient diagnosis and treatment. The script mentions how AI can quickly analyze retinal scans to diagnose eye diseases, highlighting its efficiency compared to human experts.

πŸ’‘Healthcare

Healthcare is the organized provision of medical services to individuals or communities through various health professionals and allied health fields. The video script emphasizes the challenges faced by healthcare systems, such as a shortage of doctors and the increasing number of patients, and how AI could alleviate these issues by improving diagnostic processes and treatment plans.

πŸ’‘Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age-related Macular Degeneration, or AMD, is a medical condition that affects the macula of the eye, leading to a loss of vision. The script introduces Elaine Manor, who is blind in one eye due to AMD, illustrating the personal impact of such conditions and the transformative effect that timely treatment can have on patients' lives.

πŸ’‘Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the identification of the nature of an illness or other problems by examination of the symptoms. In the video, AI's role in diagnosis is highlighted, particularly in the rapid analysis of retinal scans to identify eye diseases, showcasing how AI can expedite a process that would typically be time-consuming for human doctors.

πŸ’‘Data Privacy

Data privacy concerns the appropriate handling and protection of personal information. The script raises concerns about the privacy of patients' medical records, especially when used in AI systems, citing an example of Google DeepMind's legal issues with the use of NHS data, underscoring the importance of data protection in healthcare AI applications.

πŸ’‘Machine Learning

Machine learning is a subset of AI that enables machines to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. The video discusses a collaboration with a machine learning startup, Bitfont, which aims to improve patient privacy while connecting healthcare data more effectively, demonstrating the application of machine learning in enhancing data handling in healthcare.

πŸ’‘Virtual Trials

Virtual trials refer to the use of computer simulations to test medical procedures or devices before they are applied to actual patients. The script explains how AI can create virtual trials to ensure the safety and efficacy of new medical technologies, reducing risks and accelerating the development process.

πŸ’‘Clinicians

Clinicians are healthcare professionals who work directly with patients, such as doctors and nurses. The video suggests that by empowering clinicians to develop their own AI models, they can bring personalized and patient-centered care to the forefront, highlighting the potential for clinicians to innovate within the field of AI.

πŸ’‘Black Box Models

Black box models in AI are systems where the decision-making process is not transparent, making it difficult to understand how they arrive at certain conclusions. The script expresses skepticism about relying too heavily on AI, especially when it comes to accountability and interpretability in medical decision-making.

πŸ’‘AI 1.0 and AI 2.0

AI 1.0 and AI 2.0 represent different stages or generations of AI development. AI 1.0 is described as automating repetitive tasks, while AI 2.0 is more knowledge-driven, incorporating prior information on physics and physiology with data. The script suggests that the progression to AI 2.0 could significantly enhance healthcare by making AI systems more integrated and intelligent.

Highlights

AI has the power to transform the ways patients are diagnosed and treated.

AI can make the testing of new medical procedures more efficient and effective.

Elaine Manor, blind in one eye due to age-related macular degeneration, regained her sight with successful treatment.

Nearly 10% of all clinic appointments in the NHS are for eyes, highlighting the overwhelming patient numbers.

AI system developed by Dr. Keane and partners can diagnose over 50 types of eye disease as well as a doctor but much quicker.

AI can analyze retinal scans within seconds, a task that would take a human expert hours or days.

By 2050, the number of people with distance vision impairment and blindness is expected to increase by approximately 50%.

AI's ability to mine and analyze patient data quickly could improve diagnoses in many areas of medicine.

Concerns about AI include threats to patient privacy, as seen with Google DeepMind's legal issues over NHS data use.

If data can be better protected, AI has the capacity to make patient care much better and more efficient.

Dr. Keane hopes collaboration with machine learning startup Bitfont can improve patient privacy while connecting healthcare data.

AI could speed up the approval of new treatments with privacy-preserving techniques like Bitfont.

By 2027, AI's value in the healthcare market is expected to be eight times bigger than in 2020.

Clinicians developing their own AI systems could lead to further discoveries in disease patterns and biomarkers.

AI models being 'black boxes' raises concerns about accountability and interpretability when decisions go wrong.

AI can improve the testing of new medical devices by creating virtual trials, reducing risk to patients.

Virtual trials can test multiple variations of a procedure more efficiently than conventional trials.

AI in medicine could be at a tipping point, similar to the introduction of personal computers in the late 1970s.

AI 2.0 aims to incorporate prior information on physics and physiology in a more intimate manner with the data.