Digitizing workflows: The role of AI and automation and how they are transforming efficiency in healthcare

The case for digitizing healthcare has never been more urgent. Hospitals are under pressure to deliver high-quality patient care, with demand increasing from an ageing population with complex healthcare needs. As healthcare institutions continue to operate against a backdrop of staff shortages, limited access to diagnostic imaging equipment, and a spiralling backlog of appointments – the NHS patient waiting list stands at 7.5 million – driving greater efficiency and accuracy has never been more crucial.

The reality, however, is that healthcare systems often involve archaic, non-digitized workflow processes that can introduce unnecessary delays to efficient operations. But times have changed and continue to do so. Compare the complexity and image quality of photography using an SLR camera ten years ago versus a smartphone today and you’ll get a sense of what is happening in the healthcare industry today.

Data and digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are revolutionizing the medical field when it comes to optimizing workflows – and this has become particularly evident in the case of medical imaging and diagnostics. Breakthroughs in imaging technology, including advances in image quality and noise reduction, for example, are driving more accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment planning for patients, whilst automated technologies are optimizing the scanning process.

With the right tools, healthcare providers, and their diagnostics teams, can significantly reduce time-consuming tasks, minimize errors, enhance overall operational efficiency and, in doing so, improve the patient experience. In addition to increasing patient throughput- and reducing the backlog of appointments – this allows more time to focus on care, keeping up with evolving healthcare needs via ongoing training, and facilitating better treatment outcomes.  

In this viewpoint, Mark Hitchman, Managing Director at Canon Medical Systems UK will discuss:

• The benefits of workflow automation solutions
• How AI is improving accuracy
• Why businesses need to embrace the power of optimization