Context: Artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and data analytics have a defining role to play in shaping the medical sector. In this article we are going to discuss how new technologies can improve this.
Background

• As frontline warriors fighting COVID-19, the medical community has been selfless but also losing the number of staff in the process.
• There are reports in the global media of established innovative field hospitals using robots to care for COVID-19 affected patients.
• There are hospitals, in China, that use 5G-powered temperature measurement devices at the entrance to flag patients who have fever/fever-like symptoms.
• Other robots measure heart rates and blood oxygen levels through smart bracelets and rings that patients wear; they even sanitise wards.
• Last year, in India, the Sawai Man Singh government hospital in Jaipur held trials with a humanoid robot to deliver medicines and food to COVID-19 patients admitted there.

The critical aspect of new technologies in Healthcare

The welfare of societies and reducing the impact of communicable diseases can be done by spotlighting the importance of technologies such as: 

• Artificial intelligence (AI),  Autonomous systems, Blockchain, Cloud and quantum computing, Data analytics and 5G.
• Blockchain can help in addressing the interoperability challenges that health information and technology systems face. 

The health blockchain would contain a complete indexed history of all medical data from mobile applications and wearable sensors, includes: 

• Formal medical records and 
• Health data.

This can also be stored in a secure network and authenticated, besides helping in seamless medical attention.

• Big data analytics can help improve patient-based services tremendously such as early disease detection.

AI and the Internet of Medical Things, or IoMT (which is defined as a connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications, and health systems and services) are shaping healthcare applications.

• Medical autonomous systems can also improve health delivery to a great extent. 
• Their applications are focused on supporting medical care delivery in dispersed and complex environments with the help of futuristic technologies.

This system may also include

• Autonomous critical care system, 
• Autonomous intubation, 
• Intubation is a procedure that's used when you can't breathe on your own.
• Autonomous cricothyrotomy and 
• Cricothyroidotomy, also known as cricothyrotomy, is an important emergency procedure that is used to obtain an airway when other, more routine methods (eg, laryngeal mask airway [LMA] and endotracheal intubation) are ineffective or contraindicated.

Other autonomous interventional procedures such as:-

• Cardioversion: For patients with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats); Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting of Arteries; Directional Coronary Atherectomy; Electrophysiology Studies; Myocardial Biopsy; Pacemaker Insertion; Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and Pericardiocentesis.
• Cloud computing is another application facilitating collaboration and data exchanges between doctors, departments, and even institutions and medical providers to enable the best treatment.

Promoting Universal health coverage (UHC)

• According to the World Health Organization, Universal health coverage (UHC) is the single most powerful concept that public health has to offer. 
• It is a powerful social equalizer and the ultimate expression of fairness.
• Achieving UHC through the use of emerging digital technologies led by a robust strategy integrating human, financial, organisational and technological resources.

India’s Digital Health Strategy

• It may work and lead towards universal health coverage and person-centred care.
• Such a strategy should emphasise the ethical appropriateness of digital technologies, cross the digital divide, and ensure inclusion across the economy.
• ‘Ayushman Bharat’ and tools such as Information and Communication Technology could be fine-tuned with this strategy to promote ways to protect populations.
• Online consultation through video conferencing should be a key part of such a strategy, especially in times when there is the transmission of communicable diseases.

Points to ponder for deriving National Digital Health Policy

• An effective national response must be drawn upon local knowledge.
• Primary health centres in India could examine local/traditional knowledge and experience and then use it along with modern technology.
• Community nurses, doctors, and health workers in developing countries do act as frontline sentinels. 
• An example is the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, where communities proactively helped curtail the spread much before government health teams arrived.
• Another example is from Indonesia, where the experience of backyard poultry farmers was used to tackle bird flu. 

Possible Challenges
Standardisation of the following will pose a big challenge in India

• Health data, 
• Organisational silos, 
• Data security and data privacy, and  
• High investments.

In India, initial efforts in this direction should involve

• Synchronisation and integration, 
• Developing a template for sharing data, and 
• Reengineering many of the institutional and structural arrangements in the medical sector.
• Big data applications in the health sector should help hospitals provide the best facilities and at less cost, provide a level playing field for all sectors, and foster competition.

Road Ahead

• There is no doubt that disruptive technology can play an important role in improving the health sector in general.
• India needs to rapidly adapt, embrace and drive change if it wishes to stay relevant in the global healthcare order.
• We need to achieve a balance between technology and innovation and continue to deliver worldclass care, while finding efficient ways to lower the cost of care.