India’s Apollo Hospitals is intensifying its investment in artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and reduce the workload of its medical staff. By automating routine tasks such as medical documentation, the hospital chain aims to free up two to three hours daily for doctors and nurses, enhancing efficiency and patient care.(Reuters)
Strategic Investment in AI
Over the past two years, Apollo allocated 3.5% of its digital budget to AI initiatives and plans to increase this investment. The AI tools, some still in experimental stages, are designed to:(Reuters)
- Analyze electronic medical records to suggest diagnoses, tests, and treatments
- Transcribe doctors’ observations
- Generate discharge summaries
- Create daily schedules from nurses’ notes(Reuters)
Additionally, Apollo is developing an AI tool to assist clinicians in prescribing the most effective antibiotics for specific illnesses.(Reuters)
Addressing Workforce Challenges
With plans to expand its bed capacity by one-third over the next four years, Apollo aims to utilize AI to mitigate staffing challenges, including a projected increase in nurse attrition rates to 30% by the end of fiscal 2025. By automating administrative tasks, the hospital hopes to alleviate burnout and improve staff retention.(Reuters)
Industry-Wide Implications
Apollo’s initiative reflects a broader trend among Indian hospitals to adopt AI for enhancing diagnostic accuracy, predicting patient complications, and optimizing operations. However, challenges such as high technology costs, diverse data formats, and limited electronic medical records continue to hinder rapid AI adoption across the sector.(Reuters)
Source: reuters
