AI in Healthcare: Bridging The Gap Between Research and Clinical Implementation
AI in Healthcare: Bridging The Gap Between Research and Clinical Implementation
AI in Healthcare: Bridging The Gap Between Research and Clinical Implementation
Abstract:- Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to Things (IoT), cloud computing, and wearables, to improve
revolutionize healthcare by enhancing diagnostic patient experience, reduce costs, and enhance better health
accuracy, reducing administrative burdens, and outcomes. (8) They aim to process and analyze large amounts
providing personalized treatment. However, the slow of digital medical data accurately and efficiently to shift
adoption of AI in healthcare is due to obstacles associated towards a value-based care model where personalized patient
with ethical considerations, data management, care is prioritized. (9,10)
regulations, and technological capabilities. The results of
our study highlight specific challenges related to ethics, Machine learning (ML) is a fundamental element of
technology, regulatory, social, economic, and workforce artificial intelligence (AI) that comprises, models capable of
barriers that affect the implementation of AI in iterative learning. ML is becoming increasingly common in
healthcare. We aim to improve current knowledge by all major sectors, including healthcare. (11–13) It has
providing a more comprehensive understanding, by significantly improved clinical data interpretation in
bridging the gap, and addressing the barriers to radiology, pathology, and dermatology, thanks to
implement AI in the healthcare sector. convolutional neural networks, standardized data formats,
and extensive repositories. (14)
Keywords:- Artificial Intelligence, Implementation Gap,
Machine Learning, Barriers. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is omnipresent,
significantly more advanced, and user-friendly than it was
I. INTRODUCTION two decades ago and has become a reliable part of our daily
lives. Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in the
Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact implementation of AI in healthcare services. In AI,
on patient care, medical diagnosis, and treatment outcomes. technological implementation typically involves developing
It can analyze data with/without human intervention. Its software components to implementing an algorithm. (5)
integration into the healthcare industry brought about a
transformative paradigm shift. (1) Incorporating new and We should also acknowledge that only a fraction of
novel technological advances into clinical practice has led to these algorithms is being utilized in practical clinical settings.
many exciting medical developments over the last five Even a few esteemed medical centers with advanced
decades. Among current areas of research, Artificial technological capabilities are not embracing AI in their daily
Intelligence (AI) stands out for capturing attention and workflows. A recent assessment of Deep Learning (DL)
imagination, with the potential to revolutionize every field. applications using health record data emphasized the critical
(2) AI systems offer a smart solution to reduce the workload need to shift focus towards effectively implementing these
of clinical staff within increasingly saturated healthcare models to have a direct, positive impact on clinical practice.
systems. It is important to note that AI goes beyond simple The algorithms trained on historical data and published in the
data management, providing direct suggestions and literature are not implemented in practical use. This research-
recommendations that shape the clinical decision-making implementation disconnect is a major reason AI is not
process. (3–5) deployed more in clinical settings. To make AI a healthcare
reality, we need to bridge this gap. (15)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has seen remarkable growth
in recent decades, expanding its capabilities and applications. Multiple studies have looked at AI implementation in
In the summer 1956, McCarthy, and colleagues (6) healthcare. Ali et al. (16) reviewed the integration of AI in
introduced the concept of AI. Since then, rapid advancements health systems and the challenges in healthcare professionals'
in computational power, internet connectivity, digitalization, acceptance of AI. Petersson et al. (17) discussed AI adoption
and cumulative knowledge have revitalized academic interest frameworks and highlighted the need for more understanding
in AI across various industries. For example, within a year of of AI acceptance among patients, health workers, and
its launch, OpenAI's Chat Generative Pre-Trained policymakers. Secinaro et al. (18) reviewed ethical challenges
Transformer (ChatGPT) gathered over 1000 citations in the related to AI in healthcare, such as accountability, privacy,
medical literature (7), showcasing the active interplay and transparency. The AI integration in healthcare presents
between AI innovation and academic research. Healthcare opportunities and challenges for industry and academia. (10)
leaders are using emerging technologies like the Internet of Our study aims to understand the barriers inhibiting the
potential of AI implementation in healthcare. Extensive A. Aspects of AI model Design for Bridging the Gap between
literature exists concerning the challenges and support for Research and Implementation as Identified by Literature
implementing AI in healthcare. (19–21) However, a Review
significant portion of this body of knowledge is based on The long-term stability of any AI model performance
anecdotal evidence, narrative commentaries, small-scale raises concerns within health systems because of the absence
studies, and reviews lacking empirical support. of comprehensive guidance for implementing & post-
Consequently, our understanding of the contributing factors implementation maintenance procedures. (35) When we
of AI implementation success in healthcare remains observe the promising performance of an AI model during the
incomplete. (22) development phase, it raises the question of why there is a
disparity between this stage and the deployment phase. To
In the subsequent sections of our paper, we will explore resolve this implementation gap, we should redirect our focus
the fundamental aspects of the gaps and challenges associated from merely optimizing this area to encompass three crucial
with the implementation of AI in healthcare, using real-world & practical aspects of model design: actionability, safety, and
experiences. utility. (15) (Figure 1)
Fig 1 Summary of Three Aspects of AI model Design for Bridging the Gap between Research and Implementation as Identified
by Seneviratne et al. Paper (15)
B. The Gaps between Research and Implementation as burdensome financial obligations. The costs of AI integration
Identified by Literature Review are significant and may include talent acquisition, technology
In 2019, “Heart Flow” received FDA approval for its infrastructure upgrades, software procurement, and training
non-invasive, real-time, virtual modelling tool for coronary program implementation. This presents a substantial barrier
artery disease intervention. (41) However, FDA regulatory to the incorporate AI in the healthcare sector. (10)
processes can impede the development of such AI systems.
Comprehensive standards for approval processes will assist The development of laws and protocols helps AI
researchers and developers in meeting clearance requirements researchers to effectively present their work. TRIPOD-AI and
more quickly, decreasing delays and rejections of their PROBAST-AI, are a couple of examples which provide
applications. (42) The reporting standard presents a barrier to guidelines and tools to minimize research waste. (48) It is
implementing AI research in practical settings. Many reviews important to design AI applications with clinical needs in
have noted that studies creating prediction models for clinical mind to prevent research waste and align with clinicians'
use often lack transparent descriptions. This lack of requirements, even when predicting multiple outcomes
transparency can lead to a lack of trust among patients and simultaneously. (43)
clinicians and may limit the use and replication of these
findings. (43) In a Japanese study conducted by Changhee Han (49) et
al., their research team showed the clinically-relevant
Healthcare organizations that lack AI-compatible findings from their workshop by addressing three gaps
technologies might bridge the technology gap by upgrading between AI and Healthcare Sides. Their responses are
their existing systems to meet the integration criteria. The presented below:
lack of technical knowledge hold back the use of AI in
healthcare due to the gap among health professionals and the GAP 1: AI, including Deep Learning, provides unclear
absence of requisite training. (44) It is important to decision criteria, does it make physicians reluctant to use
understand the precise function of AI to reduce health it for diagnosis in a clinical environment?
professionals' reluctance to adapt. (45) Data management and
security are critical components of AI integration, besides Response on Healthcare side: "AI can aid in diagnosis but
technological and human challenges. (46) Enabling AI in should not replace physicians. It can provide a second
healthcare necessitates the availability of substantial amounts opinion by analyzing clinical data. However, its minimal
of medical data. Nevertheless, healthcare administration has explanation to persuade physicians and patients makes it
the potential to address the privacy and security of medical difficult. Physician intervention is necessary for an
data . (47) It is difficult for decision-makers to ensure the intuitive explanation. Pursuing explainable AI may
utmost level of protection while sharing medical data with AI decrease diagnostic accuracy, so physicians should still be
developers and tech experts. The economic implications are involved in making the final decision. Autonomous AI-
another obstacle that health organizations face. Particularly in based diagnosis without a physician is not the norm"
the public sector, healthcare organizations frequently endure
Response on AI side: "Deep Learning's explanations are GAP 3: Is medical AI’s Diagnostic Accuracy Reliable?
not particularly poor compared to other systems or
physicians. We might be setting excessively high Response on Healthcare side: "Assessing AI's diagnostic
standards for AI, promoting unnecessary anxiety. performance involves evaluating sensitivity, specificity,
Verifying the reliability of AI's diagnoses against and inter-scanner variability, as well as assessing its
physicians could make an intuitive explanation optional" suitability for clinical use"
Response on AI side: "Research on medical AI is actively
GAP 2 : Are there any Benefits to Actually Introducing focusing on robust datasets to reduce the risk of
Medical AI? overlooking diagnoses, prioritizing sensitivity over
specificity unless imbalance is disrupted"
Response on Healthcare side: "AI's high accuracy and
convenience are commercially beneficial, especially in C. Barriers for Implementing AI in Healthcare
small clinics lacking CT or MR scanners, where Additionally, the objective of this paper is also to
physicians are desperately needed." identify and address the barriers that inhibit the healthcare
Response on AI side: "Medical AI's commercial sector from implementing artificial intelligence (AI). The
deployment is linked to diagnostic accuracy, making it expanding body of literature underscores the significance of
profitable in upcoming years if it achieves outstanding investigating these challenges and offering scientifically
accuracy" based recommendations to facilitate the decision-making
process. We reviewed many of the included studies focussing
on various challenges associated with the deployment of AI
in healthcare. Implementing AI effectively presents
significant challenges, including ethical, technological,
safety, regulatory, workforce, social, and economic barriers.
(2,10) (Figure 2)
Ethical Barrier: storage, and the security measures in place to protect their
Confidentiality, trust, consent, and conflicts of interest privacy. (51,52) He et al. recommended redefining patient
fall into the sub-units of ethical barrier. Developers need confidentiality and data privacy terms as data sharing
enormous datasets for training to create accurate AI systems, increases. (53) Healthcare AI implementation needs explicit
and there is a reasonable concern that this may violate patient governance that defines all stakeholders' data ownership. (44)
confidentiality. (50) AI developers must inform patients Marcu et al. emphasized the necessity of data privacy
about the fate of their data and obtain their consent for its use. regulations for secure data storage, usage, and sharing to
Patients need to understand who can access their data, the protect confidential information. (54)
ABBREVIATIONS
AI Artificial Intelligence
ML Machine Learning
CHADS-VASC Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age, Diabetes mellitus, prior Stroke or TIA or
thromboembolism - Vascular disease, Age, Sex category
ChatGPT Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer
DL Deep Learning
FDA Food and Drug Administration
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