Overview of Workshop

Globally innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape healthcare systems. However, like all innovation not all technologies will realize the value that innovators claim, nor the efficiencies imagined.  Many, will not be implementable across or within our internationally diverse healthcare systems. To support innovation, the UK has established the Accelerated Access Collaborative; to identify and accelerate those innovations which have the potential to be of real value to the UK NHS.

Within India, AI-enabled healthcare, like the automated analysis of medical tests, diagnosis prediction, automation of healthcare diagnosis, and wearable sensor-based medical devices, are expected to revolutionize treatment. Government initiatives, such as The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the National e Health Authority, aim to improve the access, and implementation of AI. The use and applications of AI solutions has the potential to help improve access to, and delivery of health care across the country. This is vital as India has one of the lowest patient-doctor ratios in the world (1700:1). Whilst 70% of the country’s population live in rural areas, 70% of the healthcare infrastructure is in cities (70-70 paradox).

Most AI applications in development are driven by innovators, most often engineers, often focused on what is technically feasible; not what is practical or needed.  There a need to close this gap. Further, AI innovations need robust evaluation to Globally innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) will reshape healthcare systems. However, like all innovation not all technologies will realize the value that innovators claim, nor the efficiencies imagined.  Many, will not be implementable across or within our internationally diverse healthcare systems. To support innovation, the UK has established the Accelerated Access Collaborative; to identify and accelerate those innovations which have the potential to be of real value to the UK NHS.

Within India, AI-enabled healthcare, like the automated analysis of medical tests, diagnosis prediction, automation of healthcare diagnosis, and wearable sensor-based medical devices, are expected to revolutionize treatment. Government initiatives, such as The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the National e Health Authority, aim to improve the access, and implementation of AI. The use and applications of AI solutions has the potential to help improve access to, and delivery of health care across the country. This is vital as India has one of the lowest patient-doctor ratios in the world (1700:1). Whilst 70% of the country’s population live in rural areas, 70% of the healthcare infrastructure is in cities (70-70 paradox).

Most AI applications in development are driven by innovators, most often engineers, often focused on what is technically feasible; not what is practical or needed.  There a need to close this gap. Further, AI innovations need robust evaluation to ensure that implementation is supported by sufficient effectiveness evidence and via the regulatory systems/government bodies. Enabling this innovation pathway will support the widespread, appropriate, adoption of AI, such as machine learning, digital interventions and data science tools in clinical and public health that serve the public and relieve the burden on health-care systems.

Benefits: This workshop will enable early career researchers to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to understand applications of AI and ML in clinical and public health. It will enable researchers to establish networks within academia, industry, and government; vital if successful collaborative research studies in AI and ML that address real clinical and public health needs and can make real differences in reducing the inequalities in health those less well off in society face are to be developed.