At this year's HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition in Orlando there will be – it probably won't surprise you to know – a strong focus on all things artificial intelligence. 

Machine learning models and automation have completely captivated the healthcare industry, and AI is revolutionizing tasks large and small: workflow optimization, inpatient safety risk prediction, claims processing, patient engagement and more.

While offering immense promise, organizations must navigate challenges and opportunities associated with AI deployment, all of which will be explored and discussed at the AI in Healthcare Forum, which is scheduled for Monday, March 11.

Over the course of 10 sessions at the daylong preconference event, led by speakers from public and private healthcare organizations, attendees will discover the importance of establishing robust governance structures, mitigating biases, upholding ethical practices and ensuring confidence in AI applications are crucial steps in building trust across the AI ecosystem and minimizing risks in healthcare delivery.

For instance, one panel, focused on responsible AI, led by moderator Anne Snowdon, director of clinical research at HIMSS, will delve into the ethical considerations at the forefront of AI's role in healthcare, and offer an exploration of the multifaceted challenges faced by technologists, manufacturers, healthcare professionals and policymakers.

It will offer participants strategies for identifying and mitigating ethical risks associated with algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability and data privacy – and the knowledge to navigate the ethical complexities of AI-driven healthcare, and ensure that it is properly governed and remains trustworthy, equitable and patient-centric.

There will also be discussions exploring how AI is transforming healthcare, including advancements in diagnostics, personalized treatment plans and predictive analytics to ultimately enhance the quality and efficiency of care delivery.

Vishakha Sharma, senior principal data scientist at Roche Diagnostics, will highlight the pivotal role of Generative AI in advancing digital healthcare, automating tasks, enhancing clinical decisions and fostering innovation.

She'll discuss how genAI can accelerate the paradigm shift towards personalized care, opening avenues for tailored medical interventions and exploring foundational natural language processing models for extracting medical concepts from free-text reports.

Sharma's talk also includes insights on the use of large language models in understanding extensive healthcare data, promoting responsible integration into clinical practice and emphasizing ethical considerations.

A five-person panel led by Tom Lawry, managing director at Second Century Tech, will touch on the viable business models and potential adoption hurdles that come along with genAI integration, as well as the need for key metrics for measuring AI performance and calculating ROI in healthcare in a panel titled, AI's Role in Modern Healthcare: The Wins, the Woes and What's Next.

Another panel, led by Attila Hertelendy, assistant professor at Florida International University, will discuss comprehensive approaches for effectively scaling AI implementation, and explore technology trends, organizational requirements, skill development and talent needed for successful deployment across the organization.

The panelists will offer insights on the logical progression of expanding AI deployment, with consideration of challenges and practical insights, and evaluate approaches for scaling the technology effectively to optimize value from AI initiatives.

Another highlight is sure to be a lecture by Brian Spisak, an independent consultant and research associate at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, who will list his 10 Essential Tips to Avoid Planting AI Time Bombs in a healthcare organization.

HIMSS24 is scheduled to take place March 11-15 in Orlando. Learn more and register.

Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin.
Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com
Twitter: @dropdeaded209