Recently, Digital Diagnostics’ flagship product, LumineticsCore™ (formerly IDx-DR), along with other AI platforms, was featured in a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, which highlights how AI is changing the way patients are diagnosed. Digital Diagnostics is proud to be a part of the conversation as we work to do AI the right way and break down the barriers to healthcare access.
There’s no doubt that AI is improving a variety of industries. When it comes to healthcare, AI technology can be used in many ways, including helping doctors diagnose patients for many conditions, including heart disease, sepsis, and diabetic retinopathy. Despite the many advancements of AI technology over the years, there are still questions about how it works and how it can improve patient care.
How can AI tools improve healthcare?
AI tools, like LumineticsCore, a diagnostic system that autonomously diagnoses patients for diabetic retinopathy, use algorithms to better identify diseases in patients that may be at risk for certain conditions. The AI diagnosis helps healthcare professionals reach a diagnosis sooner, and faster than they would without the technology.
What do physicians say about AI tools in healthcare?
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool but does not serve as an alternative to in-person doctor’s visits. However, physicians believe that AI holds true promise in healthcare. The technology is still developing and research has shown that some platforms may possess algorithmic biases, which can alter the care people receive. In an effort to minimize bias, a group of healthcare professionals has begun working to establish guidelines to promote fair, unbiased use of AI in the healthcare field.
What are some challenges with AI in healthcare?
Issues with AI can stem from a lack of the human element. Bias is a potential issue with AI that is hard to avoid and can impact the healthcare that a patient receives. Furthermore, healthcare is a highly regulated space, where developing an adaptive AI technology to meet regulatory requirements is an additional challenge. There is still a lot of innovation left to accomplish in healthcare AI; however, broader adoption is likely to occur in the near future.
How does AI detect diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness for people with diabetes. LumineticsCore, which is modeled to look for and make decisions based on the same clinical disease detectors that eye care specialists would use to diagnose diabetic retinopathy, utilizes AI to analyze images from a special eye camera to identify signs of diabetic retinopathy. When LumineticsCore diagnoses someone as positive for diabetic retinopathy, the patient is instructed and referred to visit an ophthalmologist to have the diagnosis confirmed and a treatment plan developed. Though a visit to an eye care specialist is required after a positive diagnosis, LumineticsCore’s AI technology helps primary-care doctors identify the disease in their office, eliminating the need for the patient to visit a specialist first.