Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1462307
without interference with sleep is likely suffering from gastritis. A summary of such questions being asked in sequence can be delivered as part of a telehea lth application and may be implemented efficiently using mobile ICT [information and communication technology]." These systems can also help patients make decisions when it's not possible to speak to a physician. "Benefits from such questions and conclusions thereof can be availed of directly by the patient with the assistance of a local nurse practitioner. Such questioning can be assisted by easy-to-use symbols within the user interface which all can understand." TELEDIAGNOSIS AI has already begun to play an important role in the diagnosis of some clinical conditions, including certain cancers. "Considering the progress of diseases that could relate to the formation of cancers, different disease diagnosis patterns might reflect different chances of cancer risks," note Craig Kuziemsky, et al in the Medical Informatics article. "Modeling disease progression and variants in disease trajectories helps in prediction." A particular area of promise for AI and telediagnosis lies in teledermatology. According to studies in 2017 and 2018, computer algorithms using convolutional neural networks (CNN) were able to accurately diagnose melanoma. "The CNN achieves performance on par with all tested experts across tasks of identification of the most common cancers, and identification of malignant melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, demonstrating an artificial intelligence capable of classifying skin cancer with a level of competence comparable to dermatologists," Kuziemsky, et al write. Research being done on telehealth for breast and cervical cancer patients also shows encouraging results. PATIENT MONITORING AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT Telemonitoring has been utilized by physicians for many chronic health conditions and is rapidly becoming more advanced. A report issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality notes that "the evidence-base for telehealth is strong, especially for the remote management of chronic health conditions." The report continues by observing that research has demonstrated telehealth's effectiveness at managing conditions, achieving cost savings, encouraging patient engagement and boosting outcomes for multiple chronic diseases, ranging from asthma to mental health conditions. The benefits of telemonitoring are many, as AI-enabled devices can utilize and incorporate statistical evidence and data from tools like location finders, accelerometers, motion sensors and more, improving analysis and care delivery and relieving the burden of data col lection for prov iders, according to Kuziemsky, et al. OVERCOMING HURDLES While the future of AI and telehealth holds great potential, hurdles remain. In the study conducted by the AMA, many physicians cited lack of information and support, along with concerns about liability and payment, as reasons why they had not yet implemented telehealth services. Add itiona l ly, A I- en ha nced telehea lt h fa ces issues of accessibility, as it would ideally be available to everyone regardless of economic status or technological proficiency. "We must ensure that AI applications do not increase the digital divide, but rather enhance our ability to provide quality patient- centered care delivery to all citizens," note Kuziemsky, et al. With continued research and outreach, these issues can be addressed and the potentia l of telehea lth can continue to expand. n M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 0 2 2 2 7