India's Apollo Hospitals to Expand Use of AI to Ease Workload for Medical Staff
India's healthcare chain, Apollo Hospitals, is set to increase investment in artificial intelligence (AI) software to ease the workload of its doctors and nurses, as reported by Reuters. According to Joint Managing Director Sangita Reddy, the hospital chain will automate routine work such as medical documentation, freeing up valuable time for healthcare providers. Apollo has spent 3.5% of its digital budget on AI over the last two years and intends to boost that proportion in the next few years.
Cutting Down Workload and Enhancing Accuracy
Reuters states that Indian hospitals, frequently overwhelmed by heavy patient loads, increasingly use AI to tackle issues such as overworked medical staff. Apollo's AI technology will improve diagnostic precision, forecast patient risks, enhance accuracy in robotic procedures, and even offer virtual medical treatment.
Some of Apollo's AI initiatives, which are still in early stages, will focus on analyzing electronic medical records to suggest diagnoses, recommend tests, and streamline patient care processes. These tools will also help transcribe doctor’s observations, generate quicker discharge summaries, and automate nurses’ daily schedules.
Sangita Reddy said, "Our aim is to free up two to three hours of time daily for doctors and nurses with AI interventions."
AI to Tackle Nurse Attrition
Apollo is also employing AI to resolve its 25% current high nurse attrition rates, which it expects to increase to 30% by the end of fiscal 2025. AI tools will alleviate the burden on nurses, reduce burnout, and make daily duties more efficient. Apollo also intends to plough back earnings from increasing bed capacity into AI, without further saddling the organization with expenses.
Also read: SoftBank Acquires Sharp Factory in Osaka for AI Data Center with OpenAI
Challenges to AI Adoption in India's Healthcare System
Though Apollo is the pioneer, other large Indian hospitals like Fortis Healthcare, Tata Memorial Hospital, and Max Healthcare are also venturing into AI. There are, however, challenges to scaling up AI adoption, such as expensive technology, varied data sources, and no standardized electronic medical records.
