Revolutionizing Healthcare: How UNC Hospitals is Pioneering AI Integration for Enhanced Patient Care

Jeff Stringer, who leads the global women’s health division at the UNC School of Medicine, has developed a budget-friendly ultrasound device. This AI-assisted tool can determine gestational age, check for twins, estimate fetal weight, and spot breech presentations, all from smartphones, laptops, or tablets.

Stringer mentioned that biases do not impact his project. The AI training relies on a specific, limited dataset. This focus helps ensure high accuracy for its intended diagnoses. Yet, he acknowledges that research historically favors men, so developers must be careful to avoid male bias in their AI models.

Lamm added that UNC Health opts for tools that are not fully autonomous. They ensure that AI serves as an aid, always under human supervision.

Furthermore, UNC Health employs a diverse governance team. This group reviews every AI system under consideration to maintain safety and ethics.

As AI’s role in healthcare expands, so does the demand for regulatory oversight. In North Carolina, however, regulations for healthcare AI tools are still limited.

Stringer is in favor of legislation that sets clear guidelines for using AI in healthcare, provided it is well-intentioned. He stresses that regulation should be cautious yet responsible.

“With an aging population and a stressed workforce, we really need to learn how to implement AI effectively,” Silcox stated. “It’s a complex challenge, but the benefits will be significant.”