How AI developers can increase patient trust and transparency in Indian Healthcare

The technology that has captivated multiple sectors, artificial intelligence (AI), is being hailed as a tool that will help provide access to quality medical care for all, including through the development and improvement of diagnostics, personalised medical care, illness prevention, and the discovery of new treatments. The use of AI in medicine is expected to more than tenfold in the next five years. Artificial Intelligence is defined as the use of coded computer software routines (algorithms) with specific instructions to perform tasks that would normally require the use of a human brain. Such software can assist people in understanding and processing language, recognising sounds, identifying objects, and solving problems by utilising learning patterns. Machine learning is a method of constantly improving an algorithm. The refinement process employs large amounts of data and is carried out automatically, allowing the algorithm to change in order to improve the precision of artificial intelligence. Simply put, artificial intelligence (AI) allows computers to model intelligent behavior with minimal human intervention and has been shown to outperform humans in specific tasks.

Deep neural networks (a subset of AI) were used successfully in 2017 to analyze skin cancer images with greater accuracy than a dermatologist and to diagnose diabetic retinopathy (DR) from retinal images. However, the definition of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing. In addition to the more technical definition given above, AI is viewed as something resembling human intelligence, aspiring to outperform the capabilities of any individual technology. It is envisioned as a technological interaction that allows a machine to perform a function that 'feels' human. Artificial General Intelligence refers to a machine's ability to perform any task that a human can perform (AGI). AGI systems are built with the human brain as a model. However, AGI has not yet been achieved; experts recently forecast its emergence by 2060. ML, natural language processing (NLP), speech recognition (text-to-speech and speech-to-text), image recognition and machine vision, expert systems (a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert), robotics, and systems for planning, scheduling, and optimization are all examples of artificial intelligence for health.

ML is a key component of AI that allows systems to automatically learn and improve without being explicitly programmed. In fact, AI cannot exist without ML. Computer programmes access and use data to learn without human intervention or assistance, and they adjust actions accordingly. Deep learning (DL), a type of machine learning (ML), is inspired by the human brain and employs multi-layered neural networks to discover complex patterns and relationships in large datasets that traditional ML may miss (Health Nucleus, undated).

In India, health systems face significant challenges in terms of quality, accessibility, affordability, and equity. On the one hand, India has some of the best hospitals in the world, which contributes to the growing medical tourism industry. On the other hand, qualified medical professionals are in short supply: the ratio of available doctors to population (assuming an availability rate of 80%) is estimated to be 1:1,596. (calculated from Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, 2018). In rural areas, the ratio is especially low, forcing patients to travel long distances for even basic care. New ML or other AI technologies could help address a number of these challenges, including improving access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural and low-income areas; addressing the uneven ratio of skilled doctors to patients; improving doctor and nurse training and efficiency, particularly in complex procedures; and enabling the delivery of personalised healthcare at scale.

According to India's recently released draught National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, the increased advances in technology, as well as interest and activity from innovators, provide an opportunity for India to solve some of its long-standing challenges in providing appropriate healthcare to a large segment of its population. The government is also attempting to build a national digital health infrastructure, as stated in the National Health Stack and the National Digital Health Blueprint.