Artificial intelligence (AI) is often deemed to be part of the future of many industries, including healthcare. The present inflow of data from myriad health monitoring devices far exceeds any human’s analyzing capabilities. If used correctly, the unprecedented amount of patient data available to doctors today can significantly boost the quality of care. Acute patient care involves creating short-term solutions to save patients’ lives in emergencies and stabilize them enough to move toward a viable cure. In such situations, time is of the essence, and not all physicians have the time to stop, analyze, and make an informed decision.
Today, most hospital environments use a threshold system, where machines keep an eye on certain parameters and notify doctors in case of an anomaly. While effective, this system leaves much to be desired due to its limitations. The integration of AI can enhance the overall level of acute patient care because it can work in synergy with the existing systems.
Besides helping the medical staff with decision-making, AI has multiple benefits for a range of healthcare applications. From minimizing the chances of medical emergencies to helping out when they occur, AI plays an essential role in all stages. The following sections are brief looks at the four major benefits of artificial intelligence for patients who need acute care.
1. Predictive Analytics for Acute Patient Care
Acute conditions usually stem from a chronic disease and are time-sensitive. Aggressive intervention and a proactive approach are the best ways to handle them. The human body is complex and sophisticated. It sends out certain signals when something goes wrong, but the sheer amount of data is impossible to analyze and process.
AI systems that use a combination of software and hardware solutions can help with acute patient care. They continuously monitor different parameters and analyze that data to catch potential health risks before they become problems.
Consider the example of cancer patients. Delays are costly and dangerous, while early detection can lead to more permanent and long-term treatments with reduced chances of recurrence. Recently, a monitoring system using AI and bio-sensors has been developed. It continuously monitors the quantity of EGFR proteins (a common tumor marker in humans) in the bloodstream, identifies patterns, and notifies the physicians about potential cancer markers.
This is not the only use case. Medical wearable technologies monitor other parameters, like heart rate, oxygen levels, activities, and respiratory performance. AI systems then process this data and recognize subtle patterns to predict health risks and improve overall quality of life.
2. Cost Reduction
Medical procedures are expensive. Data shows that about one-fifth of the United States’ economy is spent on healthcare, and 75% of that is wasted due to unnecessary/excessive treatments, advanced medications, and other administrative inefficiencies. The exact percentage is highly debated in the medical community, but what matters is that a significant portion of healthcare spending is not being utilized.
Artificial intelligence and automation techniques can address administrative efficiencies, streamline decision-making processes, and allow doctors to perform multiple checks before proceeding with a major operation. This can reduce many of the associated costs due to system efficiencies and ensure reliable access to healthcare for more people.
Another area where AI can make a difference is in-house care. Hospitalization has numerous recurring and non-recurring costs. Health care workers also need to prioritize patients according to the bed capacity and other factors in peak times.
Artificial intelligence can reduce a patient’s reliance on round-the-clock care and give them more independence. Continuous monitoring systems that use AI can remotely monitor a patient’s essential parameters and automatically inform doctors/paramedics during emergencies. This way, patients only get intervention when they need it, which brings overall costs down.
3. Overall Better Patient Outcomes
Remote monitoring and digital patient engagement with AI are excellent for both doctors and patients. The patients get to live in their homes with independence, while doctors get more time to focus on serious cases demanding immediate attention.
Any chronic disease, which is often the underlying cause of an acute condition, can come with mental issues, where patients, especially the elderly, start believing that they won’t be able to have a normal life. AI systems can ensure that such patients retain some level of independence, which is tremendous for their mental health and overall response to treatment.
Artificial intelligence also plays a significant role in improving surgical procedures. Robotic surgery has enhanced numerous operations that were extremely complicated and had high risks. Moreover, all the other administrative/medical benefits combine to deliver excellent care and increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.
4. Improved Patient Compliance
Another huge problem for the medical industry is non-compliance by patients. It is a significant challenge because doctors can’t apply a one-size-fits-all solution. Most people believe that elderly patients are stubborn and have a hard time listening to instructions. However, young patients are just as problematic and can cause issues for the medical staff.
Naturally, non-compliance by patients may lead to them suffering from myriad health issues because medicine and lifestyle changes are sometimes necessary for maintaining quality of life. Also, many surgeries or other invasive procedures require specific baseline parameters to be under a certain threshold. Non-compliant patients are likely to develop more complications at a later stage.
Besides the obvious health problems, non-compliant patients may also face financial issues. Many insurance companies deny coverage for treatments if they find out that the patient did not listen to the doctor’s advice.
Artificial intelligence can help doctors and caregivers deal with non-compliant issues more effectively. It may not be able to force the patients to follow instructions, but at least the doctors can find out the full picture, since such patients tend to hide their non-compliance. For caretakers, AI and a continuous monitoring system can be a perfect tracking mechanism. They can ensure that the patients are taking their meds on time, and they can intervene sooner in case of an issue.
Oxitone: The perfect healthcare partner for patients and medical workers
Oxitone can help physicians with its state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions that deliver the most comprehensive package for continuous monitoring and remote care. Our AI-powered analytics system is augmented by the world’s first FDA-cleared medical wearable device.
Together, Oxitone delivers disease-specific reports, along with other general parameters, to personalize the decision-making process and streamline operations for all involved parties. Learn more about how Oxitone’s solutions can help doctors with its big-data analytics and superior hardware to ensure accurate, personalized, and around-the-clock care for all patients.
Here at Oxitone, we boost value-based healthcare by delivering extraordinary patient, clinical, and economical outcomes at reduced medical utilization and cost. Patients need a prompt response to emergencies. Physicians need an easy and timely follow-up with patients. Our mission is to transform chronic disease management and help save lives worldwide.
Let’s save lives together! To see how we help remote patient monitoring companies and physicians improve the management and care of high-risk patients, contact us today!