INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DIGITALISATION IN HEALTHCARE Moving to the forefront of AI
COVID-19 has caused rapid digitalisation of the healthcare industry as providers seek to care for the sudden influx in patients and deliver routine critical care. One rising trend is AI as the industry moves away from a treatment and management approach to one focused on early detection and prevention. Kevin Chiow, Country Manager, GE Healthcare Malaysia
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tretched, but coping. That is the stark reality today for healthcare systems around the world, that have been battling the COVID-19 pandemic for over a year with the severity and impact of the virus coming in peaks and troughs. It is undeniable that the industry has been facing unprecedented stress as providers seek ways to deliver routine critical care amidst the sudden influx in patients. Adding to this challenge are nationwide manpower shortages, lack of healthcare access in remote areas and the risk of healthcare provider burnout – a staggering 72.7 per cent of healthcare professionals in Malaysia alone have reporting systems of burnout since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic . The numbers are especially worrying when we consider the far-reaching consequences associated with burnout. These range from feeling distant toward work, a sense of resentment toward patients and the public, and overall lack of productivity, ultimately leading to decreased performance and poorer patient experiences and outcomes1. 1 Roslan NS; Yusoff MSB; Asrenee AR; Morgan K, Burnout prevalence and its associated factors among Malaysian
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A SI A N H O S P I T A L & H EA LT HCA R E M A N AGE M E N T
IS S UE - 53, 2021