Leveraging interconnected use cases to scale GenAI for enhanced value in healthcare

The healthcare industry is on the cusp of a revolution, with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) poised to be a game-changer. One of the forerunners in India to use GenAI was healthcare, and this innovation has had a big impact on the industry. As per a PwC survey, more than 50% of healthcare organizations have bundled their GenAI solutions with productivity tools to enhance efficiency and enable faster decision making by leveraging AI algorithms for tasks like data analysis, prediction and automation. However, current GenAI adoption reveals a gap between potential and reality. While there's immense enthusiasm for its possibilities, the focus often gets tied up in isolated solutions that deliver productivity improvements but fail to significantly impact broader healthcare goals.  

As healthcare organizations experiment with GenAI through pilots and integrations, it's becoming evident that simply deploying these tools doesn't translate to a competitive edge. To unleash the true transformative power of GenAI in healthcare, a paradigm shift is essential. We need to move beyond siloed applications and embrace interconnected chains of functionalities. This strategic evolution necessitates a well-defined roadmap. Healthcare leaders must first clearly define their objectives – be it enhancing patient outcomes, optimizing operational efficiency, or refining clinical decision-making and diagnosis.

Following goal definition, the focus should shift towards identifying and integrating GenAI use cases that work together seamlessly to achieve those goals. Each use case needs to be re-engineered, considering its role within the broader healthcare ecosystem and ensuring smooth integration with existing systems.

Here are some promising examples of interconnected GenAI applications that hold immense value for the Indian healthcare sector:

• Boosting Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) with GenAI: Integrating GenAI's predictive capabilities with the clinical expertise embedded in CDSS can significantly improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment recommendations for Indian doctors, ultimately leading to better patient care outcomes.
• Revolutionizing medical imaging with Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs): GANs excel at generating synthetic data and enhancing image quality. This translates to more precise diagnoses and treatment plans based on advanced insights gleaned from medical imaging, a crucial development for resource-constrained Indian healthcare settings.
• Accelerating drug discovery with GenAI: GenAI can act as a powerful force multiplier for traditional computational methods in drug discovery. It can expedite the identification of potential drug candidates and optimize development processes, fostering innovation in Indian pharmaceutical research, a sector with a global footprint.
• Enhancing patient engagement with Natural Language Generation (NLG): Integrating NLG capabilities into healthcare chatbots can foster more natural and personalized communication with patients in India. This empowers chatbots to provide tailored responses in local languages, leading to improved patient engagement and satisfaction, a key factor in a competitive healthcare landscape.

The key to scaling GenAI in Indian healthcare lies in a balanced fusion of classical and cutting-edge AI methodologies. While GenAI excels at generating novel solutions, classical AI remains invaluable for tasks reliant on historical data and established patterns. By strategically interconnecting these approaches, healthcare organizations can unlock unprecedented value, drive innovation, and elevate the standard of patient care across India.

This strategic integration of GenAI applications not only drives operational efficiencies but also paves the way for groundbreaking advancements in healthcare delivery. By embracing this interconnected approach, Indian healthcare organizations can navigate the complexities of the healthcare landscape with agility and foresight. Ultimately, a holistic approach to GenAI implementation paves the way for a future where cutting-edge technology meets human compassion, driving positive change across the entire Indian healthcare spectrum.

The article has been written by Manish Menon, office managing principal, ZS