Faster results, diagnosis for X-rays with new AI software at public hospitals

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is improving the country’s ability to diagnose and treat patients efficiently, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony recently said.

The use of AI in healthcare is being adopted globally, and Guyana is no different, as a software that interprets X-rays, CT-scans, and MRIs is being used at five local hospitals. This was revealed by Dr Anthony on Sunday when he appeared on the Starting Point Podcast.

“We have just put in AI software to do interpretations of X-rays. So when you do a digital X-ray, it goes into the system, and that system would think for about 20 seconds and tell you whether it’s normal or abnormal,” the Health Minister said.

He added that it is significantly improving the rate at which physicians are able to make informed decisions.

“It will give you the dimensions, it will tell you maybe the differential diagnosis, so it will aid the physician in coming to a decision,” Dr. Anthony said.

Importantly, the minister said that this technology is not replacing medical specialists, but rather supporting them. Images can still be forwarded to radiologists for additional review and second opinions.

“These systems, they can perceive things that human eyes would have a challenge finding, and the system that we are using is about 99 per cent accurate,” he said.

According to Anthony, all public health facilities equipped with digital X-ray machines will soon receive the AI software as the government expands the programme nationwide.

The technology is also expected to be integrated into other imaging services.

This is significant for the local healthcare system, which relied on analog machines just six years ago. This meant doctors had to take the X-ray result into a dark room and use it against a light source, but with this software, the time-sensitive situations can be better handled.

Beyond imaging technology, Dr. Anthony highlighted other innovations aimed at improving healthcare delivery, particularly in remote communities. Among them are the use of drones to deliver medication to hinterland and far-flung regions, the establishment of approximately 150 telemedicine sites countrywide, and the installation of oxygen plants at hospitals.