Insights from Middle Eastern CIOs: AI’s transformative impact on healthcare

In recent years, the healthcare industry has undergone a remarkable transformation propelled by technological advancements, reshaping the landscape of patient care and medical practices. Tech leaders within this sector have been at the forefront of this revolution, spearheading innovations that have catalyzed unprecedented growth and progress.

From the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnostics and treatment planning, technology has become the cornerstone of modern healthcare delivery. These innovations have not only enhanced the efficiency and accuracy of medical processes but have also facilitated greater collaboration among healthcare professionals, leading to improved patient outcomes.

“I remember some years ago telling doctors: Your job will be at risk after 10 years and everyone was scared. The conversations we had about the future and the impact of technology are now a reality and it’s part of our lifestyle, we have seen a tremendous transformation, especially in healthcare and how the advancements in technology have changed the industry, and more technologies will change it in the future,” said Dr Mustafa Hasan Qurban, ICT Director at King Fahd Military Medical Complex.

“When we talk about AI or ML, it’s not emergent technologies, AI has been here since 1959, it was not matured at that time but it was there. The problem is that we were not ready enough for its implementation. We tech leaders need to study the application of these technologies or we will be left behind,” added Wissam Al Adany, Group Chief Information Officer at ADES Holding

The proliferation of wearable devices, telemedicine platforms, and remote monitoring tools has extended the reach of healthcare beyond traditional clinical settings, empowering individuals to take charge of their health and well-being like never before. 

One of the most significant contributions of AI to healthcare lies in its ability to revolutionize diagnostics and disease management. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of medical data, including imaging scans, genetic profiles, and clinical records, to identify patterns and anomalies with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency.

“There was a huge difference between the 3rd and the 4th industrial revolution, the 4th one is a fusion of physical and cyber work, like smart cities, and technologies like AI drive this. The changes in healthcare are similar to the 4th revolution, we had a tremendous revolution at the heart of our digitalisation in moving away from human-made surgeries to robotic surgeries that are data-driven decision-making.

What about telemedicine? Now clinicians can help us better, especially with wearables, a smartwatch can help us with preventive healthcare decisions. We can take this info and use ML and AI to add more information in our system and predict the type of illness patients can have,” explained Saqib Chaudhry, Chief Information Officer,  Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare.

As tech leaders continue to push the boundaries of innovation, the healthcare industry stands poised on the brink of even greater advancements. With the ongoing convergence of technology and healthcare, the future promises to be defined by unprecedented possibilities, where cutting-edge solutions pave the way for a healthier, more connected world.