Artificial intelligence is set to become more and more present in our lives. And although some experts believe that it should not be given any wings, the Ministry of Health takes a completely different position. Its point of view is to focus on AI so that Spanish doctors have more capacity when it comes to working with and treating patients.
During a conference entitled AI applied to healthcare data spaces: challenges and opportunities for Spain, Javier Padilla, Secretary of State for Health, has called for the introduction of artificial intelligence in hospitals and clinics in Spain. He does so with the clear determination that its use can be very beneficial for citizens.
How could AI help?
According to Padilla, the goal with the use of AI is to support healthcare professionals in a way that allows them to simplify some of their tasks. In this way, they could focus more on patient care and treat people with more time, which is something that he particularly emphasizes. He believes that if doctors can use AI for some functions, they will have more room to maneuver with which to explore and ask questions during consultations with patients.
It could be something very beneficial for Spanish society, although, at the moment, AI is still expanding its presence in the world and does not have a prominent position in the health sector. Although there are researchers and centers that are using these artificial intelligence systems, the current situation means that we are far from global acceptance.
Spanish healthcare is technologically backward
The Ministry of Health mentions that, in the current Spanish health system, the use of fax is still considered a new technology. And this, which may seem like an exaggeration, may be based on the way in which some processes are carried out today. The incorporation of AI in these tasks could be a way to improve everything and to make the medical and health care sector in Spain take an important leap forward.
To better understand what AI could do for healthcare in Spain, Padilla places special emphasis on three demands. The first is that, if any AI system is adopted, it must be done only if its application favours accessibility and equity. He refers to the fact that, otherwise, instead of helping, it could end up being something negative that would generate the opposite effect. The second factor is the one we already mentioned: streamlining processes. Above all, he comments that, if AI manages to make a process that takes weeks be done in days or go from being done in days to hours, it would be an important victory for healthcare.
Finally, he highlights the value of doctors having more time and the possibility of working flexibly thanks to all this. In order for AI to make a difference in the health sector in Spain, he believes that great care must be taken in the way in which artificial intelligence handles data and the way in which it can help in the development of medicines.
He also stressed the importance of the public and private sectors collaborating in order to advance at a faster pace so that Spain can be at the forefront of the adoption of these AI systems in the medical field. The intention to revolutionise the healthcare system by relying on artificial intelligence is clearly evident, which is undoubtedly good news given how much this technology can contribute to the daily lives of both professionals and patients.
