Transforming the Healthcare Sector Using Google Cloud AI

Over the last year, Google Cloud has made significant advancements with its AI capabilities. Among the major innovations, the company announced a robust Vertex AI Search platform, which enables companies to build advanced search tools using Generative AI.

Google is also adding new capabilities to Vertex AI, specifically designed for the healthcare and life sciences domain. For instance, using Vertex AI, healthcare providers can now search for the latest clinical information and examine patient records.

Among other developments, in April this year, the company released Med-PaLM 2 for the healthcare sector. The AI-powered tool is available to a select group of Google customers in the healthcare and life sciences industry.

In a more recent development in December 2023, Google also announced MedLM, the healthcare-specific AI model, which enables doctors and medical practitioners to conduct complex studies such as doctor-patient interactions.

Let’s discuss how Google Cloud’s AI solutions have transformed the healthcare industry.

Google AI in Healthcare – Real-world use cases

The healthcare industry has been slow to adopt new AI frameworks like Generative AI. However, a recent Klas Research study found that over half of healthcare executives are planning to implement AI products over the next year.

Among the early adopters of AI technology, here are some of the real-world use cases:

• Clinical trials in Bayer Pharma
  The entire process of developing a new drug or pharmaceutical product takes around 12 to 15 years and costs around $1 billion. Bayer Pharma is currently exploring how to leverage Generative AI technology to bring these products to market faster. Based on Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and Med-PaLM2, Generative AI is enabling Bayer researchers to mine vast troves of research data and automate time-consuming tasks in clinical trials.
• Clinical documentation in HCA Healthcare
  Healthcare providers like HCA Healthcare spend a lot of time on clinical documentation and workflows to support doctors and medical professionals. In partnership with Google Cloud, the company is currently implementing a pilot project that automatically extracts information from patient-doctor interactions and creates medical notes. Using a hands-free device and app, this AI solution can draft clinical notes post every patient visit. After reviewing the medical note, doctors can choose to transfer the information to the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
• EHR search and summarizing in MEDITECH
  Modern-day clinicians depend on EHR to access patient records and deliver appropriate care. The challenge is that patient records are often complex and stored in multiple systems, making it difficult to access information quickly. Using Google AI technology, MEDITECH is powering an innovative EHR search and summarizing experience. This tool helps collect information from disparate sources and provide a detailed longitudinal view of the patient’s records. Along with Med-PaLM 2, clinicians can now enter queries about the patient’s condition and access relevant data about patient data, clinical research, and guidelines.
  

Reference links: 

https://blog.google/technology/health/cloud-next-generative-ai-health/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/saibala/2023/10/09/google-cloud-launches-new-healthcare-generative-ai-features/?sh=416b3ec17e5b