Healthcare accountability must advance alongside artificial intelligence (AI) and genomics to improve patient safety, former health ombud Professor Makgoba argues. In a keynote address to the South African Medico-legal Association’s annual national conference, he urged professionals to confront medical errors. He also called for an ethical framework that better reflects South Africa’s constitutional values and cultural diversity. Makgoba, a former…
Tag: Artificial Intelligence
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AI in Healthcare: RFK Jr Wants Patients to Take Charge
US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has set ambitious expectations for AI in healthcare, arguing it should help Americans make their own medical decisions. He wants every American to act as the chief executive of their own health, Bloomberg reported. Speaking at the MAHA Summit on Wednesday, Kennedy said doctors cannot review long medical records in short consultations. A…
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Netcare AI Deterioration Algorithm Submitted To SAHPRA
Netcare has submitted its AI-powered patient deterioration algorithm to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for regulatory approval. The submission follows the completion of a clinical study conducted in Netcare’s intensive care and high-care units. The technology identifies early warning signs of serious clinical deterioration, allowing healthcare teams more time to intervene before a patient’s condition becomes critical.…
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Avoidable Blindness In Africa Threatens Eye Health
Avoidable blindness in Africa remains one of the continent’s most serious eye health challenges. Millions of people continue to experience vision loss caused by cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and uncorrected refractive errors. Many of these conditions can be treated or managed when detected early. However, patients often reach specialists after significant vision loss has already occurred. Ophthalmologist Dr Mpopi Lenake…
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AI-Guided Heart Procedures Could Ease Backlogs
An artificial intelligence system used during heart procedures in the Netherlands could help hospitals shorten operating times and treat more patients. Philips DeviceGuide combines AI with advanced three-dimensional imaging. It supports doctors performing complex, minimally invasive heart procedures. The technology was demonstrated at St Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein. The Dutch teaching hospital used the system during a transcatheter edge-to-edge repair…
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AI Alternatives To Animal Testing Gain Momentum
Millions of animals are used worldwide to test medicines, chemicals and cosmetics. Mice, rats, rabbits, dogs and primates may experience pain or distress during these experiments. Animal testing has traditionally been defended as necessary to protect human health. However, advances in artificial intelligence are challenging that argument. Machine-learning systems can now predict drug toxicity, organ damage and chemical hazards. In…
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AI Healthcare Tools Cut South African Doctors’ Admin
Many South African doctors and allied healthcare workers are turning to artificial intelligence to reduce administrative pressure. Healthcare providers are using AI tools to record consultations, create clinical notes, prepare referral letters, support coding, and assist with prescriptions. These platforms use speech-to-text technology to capture consultations in real time. Many of the tools are less than two years old. Yet…
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AI Diagnostic Tools Outperform Doctors In Hospital Study
In a landmark experiment, South African researchers have revealed that artificial intelligence now surpasses human doctors in hospital ward diagnoses. The study took place at a large public hospital. It suggests that AI Diagnostic Tools could soon become essential for reducing the workloads of overstretched healthcare staff. While free chatbots often provide unreliable health advice, these commercially available systems proved…
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Huawei AI In Healthcare Drives Global Clinical Innovation
Chinese technology giant Huawei is intensifying its investment in Huawei AI in Healthcare, positioning its new tools as “transformative” solutions for the sector. The company, already a major player in South Africa’s energy and banking industries, has identified healthcare as a priority area for growth and service modernisation. In its domestic market, the “AI+ healthcare” initiative is applying artificial intelligence…
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AI in Drug Development helps Pharma Cut Trial Admin Time
Artificial intelligence is still struggling to crack the most complex problem in pharma R&D: reliably designing new molecules that become breakthrough medicines. But drugmakers say AI is already paying off in the “unsexy” middle of development. This is where time and money are often lost to paperwork, vendor hand-offs, and slow trial start-up. At the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in January…
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AI in Medicine Leads to Doctor ‘Deskilling’
Artificial intelligence, widely praised for its potential to revolutionise medicine, exemplifies the growing presence of AI in medicine. However, the impact of AI in medicine may have a significant and concerning side effect. It can cause doctors to lose their skills after just a few months of use, a new study has revealed. In groundbreaking research, scientists found that while…
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Bestmed’s Innovative AI Solution Against Fraud
Bestmed Medical Scheme, South Africa’s fourth-largest open medical scheme, is preparing to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its systems. This initiative aims to combat the growing scourge of fraudulent claims plaguing the healthcare industry. Protecting members’ funds and ensuring the scheme’s long-term sustainability amidst rising operational pressures are also goals. Bestmed CEO and Principal Officer Leo Dlamini confirmed that the…