Interview with Dr Sushil K. Meher Head, Health IT, All India Institute of Medical Sciences -

Dr Sushil K. Meher
Head, Health IT, All
India Institute of
Medical Sciences

The healthcare industry is at the forefront of digital transformation. Enterprises in this sector are fast adopting new-age solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) and internet of things (IoT), supported by 5G connectivity, to enhance patient care and optimise operational workflows. Industry leaders share their views on the key technology trends, digital initiatives and future outlook for the sector…

What are the key technology trends revolutionising the healthcare sector? What are the use cases of AI, IoT and 5G in the industry?

The new areas that healthcare providers are using these days are telehealth, big data, healthcare augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR), genomics, remote patient monitoring and wearables, 3D printing, AI, chatbots and nanomedicine. Remote monitoring, real-time medical imaging, remote surgery and medical data management will be possible in the healthcare segment once 5G comes into play. This will help doctors visualise their patients’ condition better, eliminate guess work and provide faster and more accurate diagnosis.

Another trend is IoT-powered virtual hospitals and telemedicine 2.0. By using connected devices to remotely monitor patients and provide communication channels for healthcare professionals, more elements of care can be delivered remotely.

What were the digital initiatives taken by you during the past year? How did they help optimise business efficiency?

Healthcare providers have laid major emphasis in the following areas:

Mobile health apps (mHealth): Technology is playing a very important role in aftercare, providing patients with easy access to remote consultation and telehealth services. It is making treatment more accessible to a wider range of remote patients; healthcare professionals can increase the likelihood of treatment plan adherence and improve patient outcomes.
AI/ML: AI/ML are being used to analyse vast amounts of medical data and help healthcare providers make more informed decisions. This technology is being used to develop personalised treatment plans, improve diagnostics and even detect diseases early on.
Telehealth and wearable devices: Patient display systems track real-time journey of the patient in the hospital, reduce waiting time and ensure timely intervention in the patient’s treatment. It provides timely and accurate interventions and enhanced patient experience.

What are the security risks while dealing with sensitive customer/business data? How do you address these?

Healthcare organisations are facing numerous cybersecurity treats as they work to secure their data and systems against cyber threats. The government has asked all hospitals to have:

ISO/TS 14441:2013 Health Informatics – Security and privacy requirements of EHR systems for use in conformity assessment
ISO 27799 Health Informatics – Information security management in health using ISO/IEC 27002
ISO 22600:2014 Health Informatics – Privilege management and access control (Part 1 through 3)
ISO 27789:2013 Health Informatics – Audit trails for EHRs
ISO 17090 Health Informatics – Public key infrastructure

Hospitals need to adopt serious, strategic and structural measures to defend their infrastructure and electronically protected health information from attacks, since a fall or unavailability of technologies and equipment can result in serious threats to the operational continuity of the organisation.

Healthcare organisations should improve their security by adopting a consolidated security architecture mainly focused on threat prevention rather than threat detection and response. Security consolidation provides organisations with the centralised visibility and control necessary to manage complex security architectures.

What are the tech trends that will transform the healthcare space in 2024? What are your digital transformation plans for this year?

A future marked by generative AI technology will usher healthcare into a new era of innovation and those daring to experiment and lead in this space will help create opportunities for patients, providers and healthcare institutions alike. AI can dramatically improve healthcare outcomes and introduce cost-saving efficiencies in the sector. Use of AI in healthcare should be accelerated to tackle current unmet medical needs. The healthcare sector should work in collaboration with big tech, while retaining control of how AI technology is deployed. AI and digital technology will have a greater impact on the entire value chain of the healthcare industry than any previous developments. The coming decade will be pivotal, for the future of AI in the healthcare sector is being shaped today.

Everyone involved should have a common interest in narrowing the gap between the technological and scientific possibilities – and the current services to patients in terms of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare. The AI revolution notwithstanding, one thing must always be clear- the healthcare industry will continue to be a human-to-human endeavour in the future focused on patient care.