Artificial intelligence’s role in the future of health services and insurance
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 5, 19 July 2024, page 25.
More than 200 representatives from major private health funds and health services across the world have attended the International Federation of Health Plans (iFHP) Biennial Conference in Paris.
Delegates heard that now, more than ever before, there is greater demand for health services, leading to increased hospital costs, which impact directly on the cost of private health insurance. There is a worldwide shortage of human resources in the health sector, such as nurses, doctors, and paramedics, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the 1970s however, life expectancy has increased from birth by two months per year. The longevity revolution is here to stay. Around the world, there has been much interest in the so-called blue zones, where the highest number of centenarians are found (France reported 30,000 centenarians in 2023, the highest in Europe). People who live in these zones take a nap, actively garden, eat healthily, and, most importantly, lead fulfilling lives and interact with others on a regular social basis.
Research shows that hearing loss is a significant modifiable risk factor. The compression of morbidity is due to the elimination of chronic diseases, and it is frailty (where people lose weight, shrink in size, and lack physical exercise) that leads to a loss of muscle strength and subsequent falls, which often lead to surgery and, ultimately, an untimely death.
Virtual reality can assist with monitoring and assessing our current state of health. Wearable devices, such as an Apple Watch, can detect our blood pressure, heart rate, and amount of stress being experienced, and can measure the amount of exercise that we do, how far we walk, and how many kilojoules we burn.
This is all valuable data, collected by artificial intelligence (AI), however without the intermediary of a doctor, this information is often underused. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has harnessed chatbots trained for each speciality based on evidence-based research. Aerial pharmacy can be delivered by drones, delivering the medication straight to the patient. Trials are taking place in remote areas. The UK's National Health Service is currently using AWS, which is looking to expand into other countries.
At the same time, nutritional advice differs from country to country, in terms of recommended daily intake of fats, sugars and salt. We do not know the long-term health effects of this inconsistent advice.
Latrobe Health Services gave a presentation about the free heart health checks at the MCG during a match, carried out as part of the Shane Warne Legacy. Out of 7,700 heart health checks, 108 interventions resulted in ambulances being called for people with extremely high blood pressure. Lives were saved due to a simple 15-minute health check. Imagine the impact if these tests could be replicated across the country?
Virtual reality is helping Alzheimer’s patients have lucid moments, when they are able to return to their childhood homes, via virtual reality, visiting the neighbourhood where they grew up.
Alexa has been installed in hospitals around the world, enabling patients to ask Alexa about their treatment, to change the lighting, to find out what time the doctor will be visiting, or to order food. Digital twins have been created for clinical trials using real patient data, to simulate the recovery pathway.
Private health insurers will need to keep up with advances in AI, which will be playing a key role in the provision of patient health services in the future, a future where private health insurance policy holders will be alive for longer and will have access to better and faster health interventions, and a range of virtual options for health care.