#Health&Ai

Making a bucket list of things to do before you turn 30?

Right on top of that list should be scheduling medical health screening tests, especially if you haven’t been doing them regularly. Regular medical health checks help you weed out any medical issues early on, reducing the risk of any debilitating consequences that may arise otherwise.

Here are the top three reasons why it is critical to ensure you follow the recommended medical tests by age chart diligently:

• They enable health screening for potential ailments
• They evaluate your health risk of contracting a disease at a future date
• They help you head off some diseases with simple changes to your lifestyle

Now that you know why these are important, here is a list of every key medical screening test that women should be getting done at the age of 30.

Essential screening tests for women health at the age of 30

Many women do not realise the benefits of getting a full body routine health check-up done annually. Even if we do complete one, we might not pay attention to what it covers. If you recently went through a full body test, chances are that you might not even know what the test covered, and whether you fall into the normal range of particular criteria or not.

As we age, we are at greater risk of many ailments. A complete body routine health check-up that has the right screening tests can help us stay healthy and fit and also avert major ailments from cropping up.

These are the tests you should prioritise:

• Blood pressure test: This routine check-up is well known but still many women do not get it done regularly. Even if you have had no blood pressure issues, no risk factors and your BP is in the normal range, it is best to check your BP every two years. If you have some pre-existing health condition (like a kidney ailment, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc.), the tests should be done annually. An annual blood pressure test is also recommended for those with close relatives who suffer from blood pressure issues.
• Pap Smear: A Pap smear test can help identify cervical cancer at an early stage when it is treatable with ease. The fatality rate of cervical cancer is high, and unfortunately, the main reason behind this is the lack of regular testing. Most women are not aware that cancer is preventable and treatable at its earlier stages. This makes a Pap Smear Test the need of the hour if we want to curb cancer-related health implications early on. Medical experts recommend getting this test done every two or three years to catch cancer in its early stages if you have it. Remember that cervical cancer does not show up symptomatically until the late stages when treatment can be intrusive and outcomes uncertain.

• Mammogram: A Mammogram is a digital way to take an x-ray of your breast and thoroughly check for any signs indicating potential cancerous growth. A Mammogram is recommended every years and is even more critical for those with a family history of breast cancer. Breast cancer is another very common ailment that can also be easily treated and cured if it is identified in the early stages. The self-breast- exam is an important part of your routine, but a Mammogram is essential to eliminate all doubt about your breast health if you are at the age of 30 and beyond.

• Bone Mineral Density test: This is a lesser-known medical screening test, but is essential as it can help avert the debilitating disease osteoporosis that can restrict your mobility severely. The test monitors the levels of essential nutrients in your body and measures your bone density so you can evaluate bone health and also identify potential causes for poor health. This medical screening test can ensure a better quality of life for you as you age.
• TSH- The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone medical screening test is overlooked often by women. The thyroid gland’s function affects the functioning of the body in many ways. Starting from severe hair fall, to utmost fatigue, to obesity or drastic weight loss- many of these symptoms could indicate thyroid imbalance. When the thyroid gland malfunctions, serious ailments like depression can also crop up, apart from irregularities in menstrual cycles.
• CBC: Complete Blood Count helps avert a very common ailment among women, anaemia. The CBC test identifies if there is an abnormality in WBC count, platelets or blood corpuscles. CBC count can also tell your doctor if you are at risk of leukaemia apart from giving insights into a number of other disorders. It can show up infections that are not evident too. CBC count helps you track your overall health as well.
• Eye test: If you are not wearing glasses, you may be missing this out but it is essential for you to start eye screening at the age of 30 and continue it every two years. Imagine how much trouble you can get into if your vision starts giving you problems. There are some eye ailments that can be identified early when you go in for a comprehensive eye screening. For example, if your optic nerves are enlarged, that could indicate a high risk of glaucoma. Identifying the problem early is a simple step you take to protect your vision and keep it healthy.

Your health is in your hands. To ensure that you lead a happy, healthy, and fit life for a long time, you must take the right measures at the right time, especially by getting the recommended medical tests by age at every stage of life.

At NURA Ai Health Screening centre, we understand that you may not be aware of which tests are critical at each stage. That is why we have specific packages for women that include all the essential tests to screen for diseases that you are at the highest risk for. Our expert technicians are backed by the quality healthcare of Dr Kutty’s Healthcare, and our technology comes from cutting-edge Japanese Fujifilm imaging. Together we bring to you the best of Ai Health /medical screening test options that you can choose for your continued good health. Book your appointment for a women’s health package at your nearest NURA today.

How Ai is delivering transformational benefits in healthcare

The word “artificial intelligence” or Ai immediately connotes the future. It implies a world where machines converse with one another within an ecosystem that transforms the way we live and function in our day-to-day lives. Manufacturing robots, bot nurses, smart assistants, robotic vacuum machines, Alexa, Google Home, the list is endless. In short, Ai is becoming and will eventually become an integral part of our existence.

Ai in healthcare has made similar strides, helping to create a robust ecosystem where doctors, specialist, radiologists, laboratories can function efficiently and with clarity. The enormous benefits that Ai in healthcare has demonstrated points to significant transformations in healthcare delivery that is built around the concept of “patient first. From robotic-assisted surgery, Ai-based image screening to hospital management, Ai in healthcare is rapidly raising the bar to meet the ever-increasing demand for a holistic, quality healthcare experience.

Globally, the market size of Ai in healthcare is expected to grow from USD 4.9 billion (2020) to USD 45.2 billion by 2026 with a CAGR of 44.9% during the forecast period! This rapid growth is spurred by several factors in the healthcare segment itself – widening gap between healthcare providers to the patient ratio, humungous amount of healthcare data that needs to be processed quickly and efficiently, escalating healthcare costs, need for speed, rising research costs in drug development and the overall need for improvised healthcare services.

Here are some Ai-driven advantages

• Escalating healthcare costs? Ai to the rescue!

Everyone today is reeling under the escalating costs of healthcare.  Here is where adopting Ai into the healthcare system can help cut down the costs to a large extent and deliver the much-needed value to the patient. In addition, it also lightens the burden on hospitals and healthcare institutions in terms of overheads, operational costs and streamlining processes. 

Ai algorithms make healthcare processes faster, at a fraction of the original cost. For example, the identification of biomarkers can pick out potential threat of diseases in our bodies, which means we can save a lot of lives by simply acting faster and with better clarity. Ai has also helped laboratories arrive at an almost zero-error diagnosis compared to traditional methods. Prediction-based results based on personal information have given doctors and specialists a powerful tool to arrive at an enhanced treatment plan and put patients on the road to recovery faster. This also implies lesser trips for the patient for laboratory tests and doctor consultations, all of which are major cost-saving measures.

• Robotic-assisted surgery – A surgeon’s infallible support

Today more and more complex surgeries are relying on robotic support to achieve 100% accuracy.  Ai has enabled a significant leap in robotic applications in surgery. 

Thanks to robotic aided surgeries, complex operations can be carried out with significantly lowered risks and lesser side effects. For example, patients waiting to be operated undergo Antibacterial Nanorobots to eliminate all blood infections before surgery! Besides, robotic-assisted surgery delivers the advantages of minimalizing blood loss during surgery and lowering the pain making post-surgery recovery faster for the patient. 

• Gaps in patient care? Enter the nurse bot

With the increasing demand for healthcare support staff and the ever-widening gap between the availability of quality nurses and post-recovery patient care, healthcare institutions often run into a wall when it comes to delivering holistic patient care. This is where robots can now assist patients along with nurses and medical staff. Many robots, through machine learning implementation, are also capable of performing daily nursing tasks. These “conversational” robots are programmed to take blood sugar readings, check blood pressure, take the patient’s temperature and even monitoring taking the prescribed pills and medication. In fact, some of these nurse bots, as they are called, are programmed to offer mental empathy and support for post-surgical patients making the healing process faster and better.

• Ai-based health screening – Early detection and faster recovery

Health screenings have reached the next level in enabling a complete picture of health for the patients. These scans not only give the whole picture but provide the much-needed clarity in terms of a patient’s general state of health of his or her internal organs. By slicing through any ambiguity, Ai-based image screenings help radiologists, doctors and specialists arrive at quicker and accurate findings and draw out a holistic recovery plan for the patients. Moreover, these screenings are faster and less painful (especially scans like mammography) and more important are very low on radiation while high on accuracy. Patients also have the advantage of easy access to their digital records, often as fast as collecting them on checkout itself!  

Ai-driven tools also collect valuable patient data, helping healthcare professions carry out a comparative health assessment on the previous and present health condition of patients. Since the images provided clarity and 100% accuracy, doctors and specialists are able to arrive at a clear diagnosis and in instances, even predict potential health issues the patient may face in the future. Hence, other than earlier detection and speedier recovery, Ai can also show the road to a healthier way of life.

Without a doubt, Ai and robotics can bring about a transformation in healthcare, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem. The Internet of Medical Things is the way forward where healthcare professionals, support staff, hospital systems and above all the patient can look forward to reaping the unlimited possibilities towards leading healthy lives.

Today, digital tools are the norm in every facet of life. A step forward from this is artificial intelligence or Ai as it is popularly known. The potential of Ai in transforming the manner in which we function as human beings is phenomenal. IoT and other machine learning solutions are pointers to this fact. 

Healthcare is no different. For instance, robotic-assisted surgery has upped the curve in patient recovery and considerably reduced surgery risks. Medical diagnosis and the science of medicine itself has leapfrogged, thanks to Ai that has broken hitherto existing limitations and has given laboratories, radiologists, pathologists, doctors and specialists a new and powerful way of arriving at accurate diagnosis and subsequently chalking out a recovery plan for patients with clarity and better outcomes. 

Added to this is the demand for healthcare professionals across the world. With an increasing shortage of practising doctors and support healthcare professionals, many healthcare institutions and hospitals are constantly firefighting to bridge the demand-supply gap of quality healthcare services and increasing patient expectations for holistic healthcare delivery. Today more than ever, the healthcare segment is realizing the importance of Ai powered tools and technology to bring about significant transformations.

It is estimated that Ai applications can cut annual healthcare costs in the USA by $150 billion by 2026. This is because an Ai- based healthcare approach enables a significant change in the healthcare model from a reactive to a proactive approach. Better clarity and early diagnosis imply higher patient recovery, fewer hospitalizations, fewer doctor visits and significant cost savings for treatments. Besides, Ai powered technology in healthcare plays an important role in ensuring people stay healthy by developing a culture of continuous screening, monitoring, arriving at informed decisions through insightful patient data and quick follow-ups.

A 2018 report by Accenture mentioned the core areas where healthcare will be utilizing Ai technology. These included connected machines, reduction of dosage error and cybersecurity. A 2019 Mckinsey report identifies important areas as connected and cognitive devices, targeted personalized medicine, robotics-assisted surgery and electroceuticals. 

Precision Medicine – Putting the patient first

Ai can be a valuable contributor in the area of precision medicine. This implies customized healthcare interventions to patients or groups of patients based on insightful data collected in terms of disease profile, diagnostic/prognostic information, history, treatment response etc.  

The Ai insights will also consider information regarding the patient’s gene pool – race, family history, immune profile, environment vulnerability etc. With such a wealth of patient data, doctors now can tailor-make more precise patient recovery and care. In addition, precision medicine also implies reduced healthcare costs, minimizing adverse drug reactions and also choosing optimized treatment options that favour the patient’s recovery and subsequent wellness. 

Deep learning Ai for image analysis 

Especially in the area of health screening, Ai-led technology is fast becoming the screening of choice, paving the way for clear, accurate and speedy screening reports and analysis. Manual tools can be inconsistent and there is always human error in reading and interpreting these images due to lack of clarity or other technical issues. Ai models in health screening have the capability to improve prognosis, diagnostics and even plan enhanced patient care. Moreover, since Ai- based image screening enables early detection of critical illnesses like cancer and other lifestyle diseases, the patient can be put on the path of recovery sooner.

With the increasing inclusion of Ai in healthcare, there are efforts to develop a technology platform that will harness intelligent automation in such a manner so as to minimize errors, reduce screening procedures, improve diagnosis and the overall patient experience.  One of the many advantages that an Ai based screening can offer is the collection of relevant patient data and track every individual’s screening process. 

Notifications on the next screening if required or reminders of annual health screening can create a holistic ecosystem wherein the patient, screening centres, hospitals and specialists work in sync to deliver the best care to the patient. 

Ai is the next level in healthcare

As healthcare mechanisms worldwide strive to optimize patient treatment and care, Ai has arrived with its caravan of immense possibilities. The world over, several Ai solutions have begun making headway and transforming the very approach to healthcare. Ai is significantly reducing errors and saving lives. It is also paving the way for better patient experience and care. 

Solutions like PathAI (machine learning technology to assist pathologists for more accurate cancer diagnosis), Buoy Health (an intelligent symptom checker through a chatbot), Enlitic (medical tools to streamline radiology diagnosis through deep learning), Freenome (earlier cancer detection with Ai) are a few examples.

The Ai sector was valued at $600 million in 2014 and is estimated to reach $150 million by 2026. In the healthcare segment, the application of Ai is limitless. From discovering links between genetic codes, surgical robots, maximizing hospital efficiency, accurate health screenings, early disease detection, minimizing errors and even bringing down the cost of new drug discovery to develop next-generation medicines, Ai in healthcare is here to stay. 

The good news is we can rely on this extremely intelligent entity, albeit artificial, to grant us healthier, happier lives.

The very mention of AI or Artificial Intelligence in healthcare makes most of us picture a humanoid doctor treating us. So, how close are we to this scenario? Well, it seems we are almost there. 

Journey of AI in Medical Roadways: So far, So good!

Since starting from the very first AI project, the Dendral System in the 1960s to MYCIN in the 1970s, AI has never taken a back seat in the world of medical sciences. 

Today, in the 21st century, the epoch of all sorts of headways, you can find numerous research materials, applications, and even start-up companies involving AI in the healthcare sector. Medical imaging is one of the most promising domains in this context.

Decipher Volumes of Data like 1, 2, and 3 with AI

Images from various diagnostic equipment, including X-rays, CT-Scanners, and MRI apparatuses, are likely to comprise large amounts of heterogeneous data. The data load is such that it might be challenging for human technicians to evaluate all of that and deduce accurate outcomes. This is where DL algorithms come in.

DL or Deep Learning (a Machine Learning System) algorithms perform the following vital functions:

• Select and derive various peculiarities of the images
• Recognize and order different disease patterns from those images
• Assist human imaging technicians in working out suitable treatment plans with other healthcare professionals involved in the case

Benefits of AI in Medical Imaging

Besides converting trillions of pixels into word format, AI is all set to transform the manner in which the healthcare industry operates. Here are some interesting aspects:

• Increased Accessibility to Healthcare

Even now, many places in the world lack access to essential healthcare services. AI can reach those places where humans cannot. Soon, anyone with a smartphone can access medical care with ease. 

Ai offers a distinct advantage especially to people in developing countries and those working in remote locations. 

• Improved Productivity and Workflow

According to an assessment, in the United Kingdom alone, at a given time, over 300,000 images, including X-rays and other radiographs, usually remain pending waiting to be analyzed by radio technicians. Sometimes waiting period is more than 30 days! Incorporating AI will help minimize delays in finding and working on these image screenings. 

As per GE Healthcare, more than 90% of data (healthcare) is from medical imaging. Ironically, over 97% of these images are unanalyzed or pending analysis. AI would not only speed up the process but make it zero- error efficient and robust. 

• Increased Accuracy

Another benefit of leveraging AI has increased accuracy in terms of diagnosing various health conditions. Did you know that breast cancer makes the second-most prevalent cancer in women?  However, traditional mammograms fail to identify 1 in 5 cases. 

As per the American Journal of Surgical Pathology’s paper, LYNA, the AI-powered Lymph Node Assistant from Google can identify metastasis of breast cancer with 99% precision! On the contrary, human lab technicians miss this malignancy spread by 62%. So, you can see the difference for yourself!

• Increased Prioritization

By incorporating AI algorithms into medical imaging, lab technicians can address time-sensitive cases requiring urgent medical assistance, for example, a stroke.

In the USA alone, over 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke every year! With AI, doctors and other healthcare professionals can identify such urgent cases and continue with the rest of the medical procedure to ensure timely and effective treatment. It helps doctors and healthcare professionals prioritize and enhance the workflow.

• Increased Focus on more Imperative Tasks

One of the prime advantages of AI in healthcare is that it addresses repetitive, monotonous yet critical tasks while enabling doctors to channel their focus on their core competencies.

AI in healthcare is the way forward. With the numerous advantages it offers, it will not be long before every medical imaging device will be linked to the cloud-driven by AI algorithms that interpret data effectively and efficiently. AI will soon be an indispensable part of assisting healthcare providers in diagnosis and treatment. 

Conclusion

It is clear that artificial intelligence is a game-changer in the world of medical imaging. However, this does not mean that AI will replace human healthcare professional and doctors. One must understand that the underlying purpose of incorporating AI in medical imaging is to allow human technicians more room to direct their energies and experience to improve diagnostic outcomes so as to benefit patients at large. 

Over the years, we have witnessed an incredible amount of progress in modern healthcare technology, and Artificial Intelligence is all set to be the next big step in the field of medical diagnosis. Artificial Intelligence describes the ability of computer programs and machines to mimic human intelligence. But the moment we hear the term “artificial intelligence or AI”, we visualise robots performing tasks that are meant for us to do, thus rendering humans obsolete.

However, in reality, robotics and robotic technology is just one aspect of AI in healthcare. Rather than robotics, AI in healthcare helps doctors and hospitals access a vast database of potentially life-saving information. The role of artificial intelligence in modern healthcare uses a Man & Machine, instead of Man Vs Machine approach to ensure better outcomes and best possible patient care. It is a powerful combination of people, process and technology, making the medical investigation more accessible, accurate and affordable with the help of advanced machinery and technology first solutions.

Here are a few advantages to help you understand how Ai in healthcare can change the dynamics of medical diagnosis, for the better.

AI in healthcare promotes accessibility

According to the World Health Organisation, uneven access to health services results in an 18.1-year gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest countries. Access to quality healthcare is still a distant dream in several countries across the globe. Due to a lack of proper medical support and qualified medical help, people living in these countries face the risk of dying due to a lack of timely medical access.

Ai in healthcare can work wonders in such a scenario. With the help of Ai-enabled modern healthcare technology, one can efficiently create an accessible digital healthcare ecosystem. It will help patients virtually explain the symptoms and receive the necessary treatment without delay in diagnosis. Many applications are now available to provide quick assistance to people, all thanks to Ai in healthcare.

AI-driven tools help accurately ascertain health risks early

The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare is to successfully accumulate and store patient’s medical records in a single place. This database of medical information can be accessed easily at any given point in time to check previous and current health issues of an individual. This easy access to past medical records gives a comprehensive health report of the patient, allowing the physician to make a more accurate diagnosis. The database helps compile millions of symptoms, causes and diagnosis, allowing the Ai-enabled technology to predict potential health problems a person can have in the future. Thus, enabling healthcare specialists to anticipate potential threats and avoid them by taking appropriate measures. This predictive analysis helps improve the overall operational management of healthcare facilities.

Use of AI in healthcare can help save both time and money

An advantage of Ai in healthcare is the time, and energy one saves with its support, which is needed, to accurately examine and diagnose diseases. Ai-enabled technology having access to a vast database of information is equipped with various algorithms to specify biomarkers that can detect certain illnesses in the human body. It considerably reduces the strenuous manual work, saving precious time to help save a person’s life. These algorithms are more cost-efficient. Application of this Ai-enabled technology in healthcare systems ensures one no longer needs to undergo the various expensive lab tests, which are otherwise required to diagnose a disease precisely. These are a few reasons for the speedy adoption of Ai in healthcare over the last few years, and it is all set to change the face of modern healthcare technology in the years to come.