There has been a lot of talk lately about artificial intelligence (AI) and the increased role it will play in the future of several industries, including healthcare. AI has for a long time been a part of healthcare but with the development of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, the incorporation of AI in everyday life as a routine part of work has taken on new meaning.
In healthcare, the ability to diagnose early can be the difference between life and death or lifelong ill-health and costly medical care. Many times, ailments such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially cancers, can be better treated if they were detected early. Cancer is still among the top-10 causes of mortality in Jamaica and several NCDs fill out the rest of that list. Early diagnosis is key in many instances to prevent death or disability.
Earlier this year, I wrote an article about computer vision and how it can positively impact healthcare.
This kind of artificial intelligence (AI) is already a feature of health technology and is used to aid in diagnosis and treatment. AI research in health has been happening for years with spinal stimulation and brain computer interface.
