Guest Column Posted Sunday, July 28, 2024 7:05 am EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was published in Sand Castles, July 25, 2024. Digital health encompasses various technologies and practices that aim to improve health and well-being. These digital programs utilize technology to enhance healthcare delivery, including apps, wearables, and online platforms. The goal of digital health is to personalize and improve medicine. Smart devices such as step trackers, blood pressure monitors, and glucose meters provide real-time data, empowering users to take control of their health. Digital health also helps bridge geographical gaps, making healthcare accessible in remote areas. Streamlined processes, reduced paperwork, and faster communication benefit both patients and providers. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a prominent role in digital health. AI refers to computer models and programs that imitate human intelligence, like complex problem-solving and experience gathering. The use of AI in healthcare is not new. In the 1970s, AI applications were utilized to aid in biomedical issues, such as the development of MYCIN, an AI program that helped identify blood infections. Since then, AI-powered applications have expanded and adapted to transform the healthcare industry by reducing costs, improving patient outcomes, and increasing efficiency. In recent years, AI has made significant advancements in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients. For example, AI can analyze patterns in mammograms to assist in breast cancer diagnoses.

AI can also provide treatment recommendations based on individual patient data, considering factors like genetics, medical history, and lifestyle for optimized care. AI accelerates the process of drug discovery by analyzing vast datasets and predicting potential candidates. AI-powered surgical robots can aid surgeons during procedures, enhancing surgical precision, reducing errors, and providing real-time feedback. Administrative tasks can be automated with AI, improving efficiency in appointment scheduling, billing, and patient records management. AI also enables remote consultations, monitoring chronic conditions, and providing personalized health advice through telehealth. In the upcoming fall, UNF will host its annual healthcare symposium on "Personalized Medicine Using Digital Health and AI. " Over 30 digital health and AI experts will discuss potential applications of these technologies in various healthcare sectors within our community. The symposium will take place from October 9-10, 2024, at the UNF Adam Herbert University Center on campus. For more program details, please visit www. healthcaresymposium. unf. edu. Digital health and AI in healthcare will continue to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance patient experiences. Appropriate use of AI can automate tasks, allowing humans to focus on providing exceptional personalized care. Shyam Paryani, MD, MHA, FACHE, is the director of community engagement and the director of the Executive Master of Health Administration Program at UNF. He is the program chairman and founder of the annual healthcare symposium at UNF, as well as the coordinator of the AI & Digital Health Program at UNF. He can be reached at s. paryani@unf. edu.