Artificial intelligence is dominating discussion in all walks of life. AI’s excitement comes from a source of scientific discovery and technological innovation that is now moving into mainstream society. From academia and research centres to venture capitalists and start-ups AI has spurred potential applications in all walks of life; one of them being healthcare.
We should not underestimate the role that artificial intelligence could play in healthcare, particularly homecare. I wouldn’t be surprised, that on its way to introducing clinical breakthroughs, AI will be accompanied by an AI ecosystem that may upend the culture of our health system; from fee schedules to program design, from accreditation to patients/caregivers as partners. This was demonstrated at a recent Globe and Mail forum entitled, “AI in Medicine” on December 15, 2023. One of the panelists, Ricky Mehra from Continuum Health Ventures, advocated for early involvement of patients and their homes in AI trials, data collection, machine learning and AI applications. He used the term “homespital” as being integral to the patient’s health journey. Ricky’s comments were not unlike Professor Catharine Burns statement in the March 2023 issue of Waterloo News which read, “And we can have a future that allows services currently only offered in hospitals to be available in people’s homes and in geographical locations where they are happier living”.
So AI seems to have revolutionary appeal. But there should be a need for caution. As Cory Doctorow reminded us at Stratford’s November 17, 2023 Provocative Lab’s session , “AI is neither artificial nor intelligent. A consensus may be emerging on the need to control the harm that AI is exposing people to; especially if it’s universal use is dominated by a handful of individuals.” In Stratford, healthcare and homecare is part of that universal use.