The buzz around the opportunities for generative AI and fertility care is growing louder. Is there merit to the excitement, and if there is - where might we see the most significant impact?
AI is no longer just a technological phenomenon; looking at the broader healthcare landscape it has been a catalyst for change. This is driven by huge tech companies like Google introducing tools for healthcare such as MedLM — a family of foundation models finely tuned for healthcare industry applications — and Vertex: AI Search for healthcare, designed to streamline information retrieval and empower decision-making.
We believe that in 2024, the narrative around AI is graduating from experimentation to practical application. Especially when it comes to alleviating administrative burdens, and aiding clinicians in seamless information management.
Our belief is that the immediate focus in 2024 is the digitalisation of workflows and shorter-term optimisations. Here technology and AI will play a pivotal role in reducing paperwork burdens and simplifying day-to-day processes. This not only addresses the pressing challenges faced by fertility clinics but also contributes to the broader understanding of gen AI applications in healthcare that can be used and implemented in the following years.
A mountain of data stands between us and the AI summit. The computers brain excels at holding many more pieces of information in context than we’re capable of - scans, lab-work, observations, patient history. However this information is rarely structured in a way that an AI can maximise the usefulness of it in search of improved outcomes for conception and family planning.
Typical clinic data is stored on legacy Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) system, on-site at a clinic. EHRs first replaced paper medical records starting in the 1960s, and the technology has not kept pace with the rest of the market. Existing players have a vested interest in making competition difficult by limiting collaboration and integration, thus making improvements expensive, time consuming, and difficult.
Patients expect more. Care teams expect more. Operators expect more. The full potential of the fertility EHR remains elusive.
We see the first step in the transformation as enabling clinics to more easily access their data and make it integrable. Once the data is accessible, can it be used to its full potential.
This way we avoid the mega-project, lift-and-shift, never-ending-migration to an entirely new platform. If the data is accessible and integrable, we can methodically and gradually introduce new processes and tools that make use of it with limited risk.
Fertility care is known for having many manual, paper-based and repetitive administrative tasks. Technology and AI can help by simplifying document creation through rapid analysis of reports and files, thereby reducing the administrative workload for clinicians. Moreover, it simplifies data entry and subsequent information retrieval.It supports care team members like secretaries and nurses in managing the many administrative tasks indirectly associated with treatments.
Fertility care is a distinctly human process, and removing that humanity is not the objective. Technology can be a powerful ally, creating more time for the work that means the most. Consider the impact on the nursing care teams, where saving just one hour per day for each of the 10 nurses translates to 240 hours a month focused on better patient care. The same can be done by automating invoicing for the finance department or guided onboarding for patients with smart scheduling to avoid too much planning time for secretaries and patients alike.
The essence lies not only in time savings but in enhancing the overall appeal of the fertility care profession. In simpler terms, the integration of AI and technology aims for more productive, more satisfied colleagues, benefitting the profession and those seeking reproductive support.
Harnessing the power of gen AI in fertility care is a multifaceted challenge, combining data, compassion, and ultimately the business of delivering care..
The AI landscape is evolving quickly, and offers significant advancements in harmonising these elements. This progress is pivotal for clinics seeking to navigate and implement new technologies. It’s equally vital for care teams striving to enhance treatment approaches. It holds significance for fertility clinics aiming to provide more equitable and effective care to millions of patients who need fertility care.
In the short term, front-runners in the fertility sector will set the pace and educate us on the many nuanced opportunities before us. Upstart companies will be paying attention; building tools and technologies that turn these opportunities into the future of fertility care.
Cecilie Jakobsen on Tue Jan 30
