CII organises third Digital Health Summit themed 'Leveraging AI for Improving Health Outcomes'

New Delhi [India], July 19 : The third CII Digital Health Summit, themed 'Leveraging AI for Improving Health Outcomes,' was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here in the national capital on Friday.
The event brought together key stakeholders from the healthcare industry, government, and technology sectors to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.
As per a CII release, the summit addressed crucial topics such as improvements in care delivery, ethical implementation, responsible AI, sustainable business models, and AI-powered data analytics. It concluded with insightful discussions on emerging healthcare trends and innovations.
A significant highlight of the summit was the launch of the 'CII Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct for Telemedicine' and a comprehensive report titled 'Mapping India's Corporate Health and Wellness Landscape,' presented by Vinod K Paul, Member of NITI Aayog, and Apurva Chandra, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The 'CII Self-Regulatory Code of Conduct for Telemedicine' aims to guide telemedicine platforms to optimise their functions while maintaining high professional standards and ensuring patient safety. These voluntary guidelines, adapted from industry best practices, promote transparency, the use of advanced technologies, and the creation of a patient-centric ecosystem.
The report on 'Mapping India's Corporate Health and Wellness Landscape', jointly prepared by CII and MediBuddy, provides valuable insights into the utilisation and impact of digital healthcare within corporate wellness programmes.
It offered detailed recommendations to help stakeholders enhance digital healthcare adoption, leading to a healthier and more productive workforce in India. The report will serve as a handbook for corporate sector stakeholders, highlighting the correlation between a healthy workforce and increased productivity while addressing the gaps and challenges in existing wellness programmes.
Vinod K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, emphasised that the age of AI in digital health has arrived, presenting immense potential across various use cases. He discussed the government's interest in partnering with the industry to leverage AI for public health dimensions such as individualised care, prediction, targeting, and precision public health.
Paul also highlighted the potential for AI to revolutionise medical education and professional development pathways, suggesting that AI could enhance decision-making processes for physicians, from diagnostic testing to treatment plans. He mentioned the operationalization of the Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH), an initiative stemming from India's G20 presidency, which aims to help countries utilise digital technologies and ecosystems for development.
Additionally, Paul underscored the significance of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), noting that approximately 66 crore ABHA accounts have been opened. He urged industry stakeholders to contribute to the mission's refinement and leverage the India AI mission, a 10,000 crore initiative, for collaborative advancements in AI-driven healthcare.
Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, acknowledged the significant strides AI has made, recognising its potential to transform healthcare. He noted that while AI is not yet extensively used within the Ministry, there are current applications being utilised in decision support systems, data mining, diagnostics, drug discovery, and fraud analytics. He described how AI is used in decision support systems like HMIS software, integrated with e-Sanjivani and numerous hospitals and primary care centres, to recommend medicines based on past behaviours and learnings.
Chandra stressed the need for industry collaboration to further integrate AI into healthcare, particularly in utilising the vast datasets available for public health outcomes, including predicting pandemics and managing non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, and maternal and child health outcomes.
Basant Garg, additional CEO of the National Health Authority, discussed the importance of data availability and health records in AI implementation. He highlighted the progress of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, and the development of national health registries, including ABHA, healthcare professional registries, and facility registries.
Garg emphasised the need for private sector innovation to advance AI in healthcare, citing potential applications in diagnostics, therapy assessment, administrative processes, and medical education. He noted that while a large part of healthcare currently occurs in the physical world, only a small fraction is digital, making it imperative for India to harness AI's possibilities fully.
Shashank ND, Chairman, CII Subcommittee on Digital Health and CEO, Practo, provided historical context on the evolution of medical technology, from vaccinations to the use of physics and actuarial science in healthcare. He emphasised the crucial role of digital data in enhancing AI's impact on healthcare providers, noting that AI's potential is now being realised in practical applications.
Shravan Subramanyam, Co-Chairman, CII Task Force on Health Technology and Advisor, Premji Invest, discussed the exponential improvements in life expectancy due to technological advancements and the multiple AI use cases in healthcare, such as AI-assisted robotic surgeries. Subramanyam emphasised that integrating AI and socially intelligent humanoids into clinical practice can enhance productivity, redefine care team roles, and reduce staff burnout
He demonstrated Ria, a humanoid robot capable of offering personalised health advice by interpreting health data, prescriptions, and lab reports. Ria can assess vital signs and provide health insights, representing the future of personalised healthcare monitoring and diagnostics.
The summit concluded with a call for policymakers and health providers to collaborate in designing digital solutions and policies. The event underscored the collaborative efforts required to leverage AI's full potential in transforming healthcare and improving health outcomes in India.