AIIMS Delhi Allocates ₹300 Crore for AI-Powered Healthcare Transformation
Published on 1/3/2025 | 4 min read
Published on 1/3/2025 | 4 min read
Speaking at a recent event, AIIMS Director Dr. M Srinivas emphasized the transformative potential of AI in the healthcare sector. “Integrating AI into our systems will enhance efficiency, minimize delays, and enable world-class research,” he stated. Dr. Srinivas further elaborated on the ways AI-driven tools can revolutionize healthcare by simplifying health information dissemination, empowering patients, and encouraging active engagement with healthcare systems. With AI's ability to quickly analyze vast amounts of data, healthcare professionals will be better equipped to make informed decisions that directly benefit patients.
Dr. Srinivas also pointed out that AI's ability to streamline administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling and patient record management, could significantly reduce human error and free up time for healthcare providers to focus more on patient care. This, in turn, could lead to quicker response times, faster treatments, and an overall more efficient healthcare experience.
The event brought together experts from various sectors including healthcare, technology, and policy to discuss how AI could address critical challenges in health-related communication. Dr. Kavita Narayan, senior technical advisor to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, underscored AI's potential to create a more compassionate and equitable healthcare system. “To make a meaningful impact, it is crucial to integrate technology thoughtfully while fostering collaboration between policymakers, technologists, and healthcare professionals,” she remarked.
AI can also help bridge gaps in health disparities by making healthcare information more accessible. By utilizing AI-driven platforms that offer multilingual support, people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds will have access to quality healthcare knowledge, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital healthcare revolution.
One of the major highlights of the event was the presentation of Humeta, an AI model custom-designed by Healthpresso. Humeta is trained on over a million data points from trusted medical sources, including The Lancet and PubMed, and serves as an AI-powered healthcare assistant. Daleep Singh Manhas, co-founder and CEO of Healthpresso, explained how Humeta is bridging the gap in healthcare accessibility.
“Many individuals struggle to comprehend complex medical content. Humeta simplifies such information into credible and digestible formats, including text, visuals, and interactive tools. This empowers patients with reliable knowledge they can trust,” said Manhas. Humeta also integrates a feature that can assist healthcare professionals by providing AI-driven suggestions and recommendations, making the healthcare process more efficient for both patients and providers.
Humeta’s potential extends beyond simplifying medical content. It can also help address common challenges such as appointment reminders, personalized health recommendations, and emergency healthcare support. This further exemplifies how AI can integrate into both administrative and clinical functions to improve overall patient outcomes.
While AI has the potential to enhance precision and efficiency in healthcare, experts also raised concerns about dependency and privacy. Dr. KP Kochhar, head of the physiology department at AIIMS, stressed the importance of maintaining a human touch in healthcare. “Technology should complement compassion. A balanced approach will ensure systems prioritize patient well-being,” he noted.
It was highlighted that AI should serve as a tool to assist healthcare professionals in making data-driven decisions, rather than replacing the empathetic aspects of patient care. While AI can greatly reduce human error and improve diagnostic accuracy, it cannot replicate the trust and comfort patients feel when interacting with a compassionate healthcare provider.
Moreover, it is essential to establish clear guidelines and regulations around AI's role in healthcare to ensure privacy, security, and ethical considerations are maintained. The event emphasized that AI should be implemented in a way that augments the healthcare experience, rather than leading to over-reliance or impersonal treatment.
The event concluded with a call for collaboration among policymakers, technologists, and healthcare providers to ensure AI is integrated responsibly. Experts agreed that AI’s potential should be harnessed to improve healthcare while addressing ethical concerns and safeguarding patient trust.
Dr. Srinivas emphasized that a collaborative approach is critical to prevent any misalignment between technological advancements and patient needs. By working together, stakeholders can develop policies that promote responsible AI integration, ensuring that innovations benefit all aspects of the healthcare system.
The integration of AI into healthcare also raises questions about training healthcare professionals to work alongside AI systems. This shift requires ongoing education and awareness to ensure that healthcare workers are equipped to use AI tools effectively and ethically.