It’s no secret the current healthcare IT systems are mostly outdated and inefficient, to the point where we require a significant overhaul to fully utilise AI’s capabilities and improve patient care. Additionally, pressing regulatory and standardisation issues in healthcare IT must be resolved to ensure consistency and efficiency in both design and operation.
From data transcription to patient portals
AI’s role in healthcare data transcription is an area with immense potential. AI technologies can automate the transcription of clinical notes, freeing clinicians from the tedious task of manual data entry. With around 1200 GPs in New Zealand using Nabla Co-Pilot, awareness in its ability is increasing, saving time and allowing these clinicians to focus more on patient care. As AI systems continue to improve their real-time transcription services, clinicians can significantly reduce errors in notes and improve the quality of patient records.
This becomes even more powerful when we provide people with access to the Open Notes system linked with a standardised patient portal, where their healthcare information is stored. These transcription tools can provide patients with personalised plans in formats they understand. With co-morbidities and complexities increasing, it’s not realistic to expect patients to memorise everything they may need to do post-appointment. This patient-centric system will significantly improve transparency and patient engagement in their own care. Housing medical notes, treatment plans, hospital bookings, and waitlist status data, this will provide people with comprehensive access to their healthcare information, allowing them to self-manage and have greater autonomy.
The need for a complete overhaul of healthcare IT systems
You could liken the existing healthcare IT systems to using horses and carts in an age of motor vehicles. These systems are not only outdated but also fragmented, leading to inefficiencies and increased workloads for clinicians. Many healthcare providers are stuck with electronic health records (EHRs) that are essentially digital versions of paper records, without any real improvement in efficiency.
The analogy of Henry Ford’s faster horse is apt here. Incremental improvements to existing systems are not enough – a complete overhaul is necessary. This overhaul should focus on creating a unified, interoperable system that can integrate AI technologies. Such a system would enable the delivery of real-time data and insights, enhancing decision-making and patient outcomes.
However, one of the significant barriers to realising the full potential of AI in healthcare is the lack of standardised regulations in IT systems. With a fragmented and inconsistent framework, we’re currently in a “wild west” scenario, without oversight or standardisation. Only with a robust regulatory framework, will we ensure all healthcare IT systems are consistently safe, efficient, and interoperable. In 2016, the USA was successful with the 21st Century Cures Act, making interoperability a legal requirement of all health ICT, and aimed at increasing the accessibility and transparency of healthcare information for patients and health providers.
AI agents and enhanced patient-centred care
An AI agent is a computer program that performs tasks and makes decisions on its own by mimicking human intelligence, and they can play an important role in enhancing patient-centred care. AI agents extend beyond improving clinician productivity with the ability to provide personalised, efficient, and effective treatment plans. By analysing large amounts of data to provide tailored recommendations, AI agents can save patients’ time, increase their care knowledge, and improve their outcomes.
Imagine a future where AI agents assist in managing chronic conditions by providing real-time monitoring, pattern recognition, and personalised treatment plans. Traditionally, patients with complex conditions might see multiple specialists, leading to fragmented care and wastage of patients’ time. AI agents can provide a more integrated approach by analysing data across various specialties and presenting a single cohesive treatment plan, with a generalist clinician acting as a co-pilot supporting and contextualising the plan.
By reducing the need for redundant specialist visits and improving the overall efficiency of the healthcare system, we can give people – both clinicians and patients – their time back, improving outcomes for all. This not only streamlines the patient experience but also ensures their care is coordinated and considered in a unified manner.
In the foreseeable future, however, there are serious challenges with AI capability and accountability. Who is willing to guarantee the information the AI agent is providing? While it’s an exciting prospect, it is one that will be cautiously explored.
With statistics highlighting the pressing need for such advancements, it’s critical we continue with the exploration of AI solutions of this nature. In New Zealand, the number of people aged over 65 has doubled in the past 25 years, whereas the number of 18-65 year olds has not [1]. This demographic shift underscores the growing burden of chronic illnesses, requiring more efficient and patient-centred healthcare solutions.
Streamlined and regulated approaches
To fully utilise AI’s potential in healthcare, there must be a shift towards more streamlined and regulated practices. It may seem counterintuitive, but this includes developing national standards for healthcare IT systems and implementing robust regulatory frameworks. By doing so, healthcare providers can ensure that AI technologies are developed and differentiated by their productivity and workflow features, are agnostic to ICT platforms, and are used safely and effectively, ultimately improving patient care.
The concept of identity and access management (IAM) is crucial here, and it’s a foundation that Spark Health can be instrumental in building. With a consistent IAM system throughout New Zealand, we will be able to remove barriers to information accessibility for clinicians and reduce the loss of follow-up for patients, allowing continuous and coordinated care, regardless of the setting.
Spark Health’s role in overhauling the system
The integration of AI into healthcare presents an opportunity to address many of the inefficiencies and challenges facing the industry today.
Spark Health is poised to play an instrumental role in this overhaul by providing the necessary infrastructure and support to implement these changes. New Zealand’s healthcare system is sitting at a critical juncture, making this the right time to start realising the full potential of AI technologies for a patient-centric system