If you compare science fiction with modern technology, a remarkable number of futuristic concepts have become a reality. The air hypo from Star Trek heralded the arrival of the modern jet injector. Tricorders have become a reality in the form of the hand-held DxtER diagnostic device by Final Frontier Medical Devices. Similarly, artificial intelligence has been finding its way into every aspect of our lives. While not the self-aware sci-fi software, AI is still a powerful tool that provides amazing effects. Recently it has been employed in helping with advancing the realm of “precision medicine.”
Artificial Intelligence And Precision Medicine
This concept, also referred to as “personalized medicine,” is one that’s been in the healthcare industry for many years. Its goal? To tailor medical treatment to the individual by taking into account the environment, lifestyle, medical history, and even the patient’s genetics. This involves a significant amount of cross-referencing material, making doing it by hand difficult.
With the assistance of a medical AI capable of doing this cross-referencing for us, it’s increasingly possible. Being able to cross-reference so much of a patient’s information in formulating a treatment contributes to potentially better outcomes. How will AI make achieving this goal easier? AI Can:
- Analyze large data sets rapidly
- Can learn by identifying patterns in broad swathes of data
- More accurately identify appropriate treatment options
- Accurately predict outcomes of treatments
AI also makes it possible to better predict the potential health risks the patient may experience. Making connections between immense amounts of data can improve an understanding of why certain diseases and conditions occur. This can help not just the individual patient but entire populations. This can potentially revolutionize healthcare and how the treatment is offered.
Precision medicine will require a networked connection of multiple companies and organizations to achieve its full potential. These will include medical diagnostic companies, academia, pharmaceutical companies, medical offices, biotechs, and countless other ancillary groups.
As Artificial Intelligence and its application in healthcare improve, the accessibility and capability of precision medicine grow with it. This new approach to medicine, diagnosis and treatment planning could have an immense impact on the future healthcare. A significant amount of research and development still remains before it can be used effectively. However, when it finally matures, it can improve healthcare immeasurably. Diagnosis will be able to be made quicker and more accurately; proper treatments will be determined with less experimentation and treatment, and diagnoses made cheaper on all fronts.
What To Expect In The Future Ahead
Every year the rate of technological advancement in all fields seems to increase, and the medical field is no exception. Every field of medicine is seeing improvements and new innovations that are making diagnosis and treatment more effective than ever. If you want to learn more, speak to your medical professional. They’re sure to be up to date on the latest trends and can help you learn more about what new medical innovations are available at their office!
