“As we continue to advance these technologies, we’re not just improving individual tools and treatments — we’re fundamentally reimagining how healthcare can be delivered in the 21st century,” Gerald Wilmink, PhD, director of innovations business development and licensing at Cleveland Clinic, said.
Dr. Wilmink spoke with Becker’s about three ways AI is changing the healthcare landscape.
Eliminating patient privacy concerns in datasets
Cleveland Clinic is exploring and implementing a number of tools to help change the way it delivers care. One that excites Dr. Wilmink most is synthetic data generation.
“We’ve developed a tool called STNG [synthetic tabular neural generator] that creates synthetic datasets mirroring real patient data while protecting patient privacy,” he said. “This allows researchers to bypass lengthy institutional review board approval processes for certain studies because the data isn’t linked to real patients.”
The program was developed in-house as a way for researchers to use datasets without risking patient privacy. The datasets mimic real-world patient data without including any personally identifiable information. This allows researchers to create realistic data for studies, grant applications and model training.
Changing the dynamics between generalists and specialists
From ambient listening and documentation to making predictions and flagging important information behind the scenes, AI is allowing physicians to deliver the best possible care. But AI and augmented reality aren’t just enhancing patient care, they’re fundamentally reshaping how and where healthcare is delivered, Dr. Wilmink said.
In rural hospitals, where specialists aren’t always available, AI could fill gaps by analyzing scans and identifying conditions that typically require expert interpretation. At the same time, specialists at larger institutions could remotely support generalists by using augmented reality and other AI-driven tools.
“I don’t think AI will eliminate the need for specialists, but it will change how generalists and specialists interact,” Dr. Wilmink said. “Generalists could use AI to triage patients more effectively and know when to involve a specialist.”
Pushing data into actionable practice
Dr. Wilmink said there are a few exciting things he’s looking forward to seeing AI do in healthcare, and they come down to the same point: AI’s ability to turn data into clinical practices.
This could show itself in a number of ways:
- Advanced algorithms that detect conditions physicians might have missed. This could have a significant change on that patient’s outcome.
- Integrating EHR, imaging and genomics data to create more accurate predictions and real-time view of patients’ health.
- Incorporating newly published research into clinical practice.
The development of synthetic data tools and advanced natural language processing could also accelerate discoveries and patient care.
“The possibilities for AI in healthcare are endless, and we’re just getting started,” he said.
