Thank you Najeeb
"I prefer to go to a human doctor rather than a machine to diagnose me"
Page 1 of Charlotte Bleases's book 'Dr Bot' (which I am currently reading) states:
'Medical error is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, responsible for the fatalities of over a quarter of a million Americans annually... One type of error is misdiagnosis. Every year in the US diagnostic error affects at least one in 20 patients or 12 million adults, causing permanent disability or death to 795,000 people.'
Medical diagnosis is challenging for AI in one respect: a tool such as ChatGPT cannot physically examine the patient (although data such as pulse, temperature, blood pressure can readily be integrated, as well as Xrays, clinical photographs, and test results). Nevertheless, clinical history is the cornerstone of diagnosis and a well taken history is very possible with AI. Charlotte Blease suggests it 'might outperform human doctors in key areas. From patients sharing symptoms to receiving diagnoses, treatments and aftercare... AI could deliver faster, fairer, and more precise care - if we have the courage to use it wisely'.
Further, the majority of the world's population does not have ready access to a doctor. Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET) says 'One billion people have no access to qualified health workers throughout their lives'. https://www.globalhealthpartnerships.org/about-us/
Meanwhile it is estimated that 5.65 billion people are now 'internet users' and the number is increasing by 146 million per year https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview The number of people with access to the internet is already probably much greater than the number with access to a health professional (can anyone confirm?).
"can developing countries afford AI?"
ChatGPT is currently free to anyone with internet access. However, I am unclear about their business model: will these tools remain free?
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org