AI in Global Surgery: Enhancing Precision, Democratizing Expertise, and Addressing Ethical Issues
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking the world of medicine and healthcare by storm, but amidst the hype, it’s important to focus on the real impact AI is making today and what it holds for the future. In the Distinguished Lecture of the International Society of Surgery, Professor Ewen Harrison will shed light on three key areas where AI is making strides: enhancing precision care through prediction, democratizing surgical expertise, and addressing ethical and socioeconomic implications.
While AI has already proven its worth in preoperative planning, intraoperative assistance, and postoperative monitoring, it is not a magical solution for improving surgical care. Issues such as biases in existing data need to be acknowledged and addressed, and the voices of diverse stakeholders must be heard to ensure equity in the implementation of AI.
Dr. Harrison highlights the potential for remote assistance, better training and simulation, and the standardization of care across the globe. However, he also emphasizes that the Global South has been largely left out of the conversation, and this needs to change for equitable distribution of AI benefits.
One technology that shows promise in global healthcare is ChatGPT, but it comes with both positive and negative implications. Dr. Harrison will present his systematic review of AI in surgery using GPT4, which processed over 7,700 abstracts, and discuss its power and limitations.
To fully leverage AI in surgery, it is crucial for surgeons, clinicians, and other stakeholders to be actively involved from the beginning. Already, there are examples of collaboration, such as the use of postoperative wearable sensors. Global nursing teams are adapting AI ideas to different cultural contexts and integrating them into existing healthcare systems.
Professor Harrison aims to dispel the notion that AI in healthcare is either a curiosity, a savior, or a threat. He believes that rather than fitting into these predefined categories, AI in healthcare is undifferentiated and can be shaped by our collective efforts. It is malleable, iterative, and within our control.
In conclusion, it is clear that AI has the potential to revolutionize the field of surgery. However, its successful implementation requires collaboration, addressing biases, and ensuring equitable access. As the audience and colleagues listen to Dr. Harrison’s lecture, they are encouraged to play an active role in shaping the future of AI in healthcare.
Can you imagine a world where AI dominates the field of surgery? What are your thoughts on the transformative power of AI in healthcare? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!
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