Council of Experts to examine AI in healthcare

In a move aimed at effectively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare in Jamaica, Minister of Health & Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton yesterday announced the formation of an AI-TECH Council of Experts on healthcare delivery.

“This is a most important forward-thinking thrust to secure the future of our health services delivery, a thrust we are calling Artificial Intelligence Technology Enhanced Care for Health (AI-TECH),” the minister told Parliament as he made his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

“We have to prepare ourselves for the changes in medical sciences and technology linked to treatment and care to make healthcare screening and treatment more accessible and outcomes more predictable. This is where AI-TECH comes in,” he added.

“Artificial intelligence is the process of using technology-driven data to assess, analyse, predict and influence outcomes. In healthcare, easier and faster screening, more minimal invasive treatment procedures and remote monitoring and support for the chronically ill,” Tufton said further.

The AI-TECH Council of Experts, to be chaired by Dr Rubin Pillay, professor and assistant dean of the School of Medicine & Health Innovations at the University of Alabama in the United States, is to examine the trends and recommend new systems utilising AI technology to address a variety of areas.

FOCUS AREAS

According to the minister, these areas include:

• Cross border treatment support, including with radiology services;

• Lifestyle-linked medical profile predictability;

• Community-based screening;

• Homecare for the chronically ill and ageing;

• Ongoing monitoring and assessment; and

• Any other new trends and practices ethically acceptable for healthcare delivery.

“This AI-TECH Council of Experts will conduct the necessary applied research and coordination to generate a report aligned to the country’s 10-year strategic plan to integrate AI technology into our health services delivery,” Tufton explained.

The work of the council is to be financed, in the first instance, by the National Health Fund (NHF) – an agency of the Ministry of Health & Wellness.

“I have asked the NHF to provide an initial J$30 million to support a secretariat for this work which I have asked to be done over a 12-month period, culminating in a one-day workshop in Jamaica where the report will be presented and discussed by a cross section of health and health-related stakeholders,” the minister told Parliament.

“My expectation is that the report will contain practical implementable solutions for policy considerations, which will be taken to the Cabinet for its consideration and eventual implementation,” he added.

“I have also tasked the Wellness Fund to consider for the next research cycle that is focused on technology-driven healthcare to hopefully bolster the offerings for a better delivered healthcare system,” the minister said further.

The Ministry of Health & Wellness has also made available a concept paper that is to inform the work of the Council of Experts.