DIGI SOCIETY

IN MY FIELD OF EXPERTISE

Digitalization has changed the whole world and the way we work and interact with each other. Mainly this is to be seen as a positive thing and evolution of society and its functions. To all individuals though it still isn’t easy thing to absorb and requires a change both in attitude and motivation. Both of these can be developed into positive direction through the benefits that digitalization brings in practice.

I have worked in the healthcare sector, specifically in radiology and medical imaging, for over 20 years now. This speciality is one of the pioneers in digital transformation in healthcare and I’ve always been proud of the fact that I’ve seen the change in practice. The x-ray films, cassettes, developing machines (not to mention doing the developing part manually by hand with chemicals!) and darkrooms have turned into high-tech intelligent, digital systems and devices that actually guide the user. The radiological information systems such as RIS (Radiology Information System) and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) support enterprise imaging and teleradiology functions by improving the availability of patient examinations and images, consulting, diagnosis and further treatment. The job description has changed for many different occupational groups such as radiographers, radiologists and supporting personnel due to digitalization.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Carefully built integrations help data handling, utilizing the data and the operational models between different systems. I think that Robotic Process Automation (RPA) will most definitely play a huge part in automation of the more simple tasks in healthcare data processing. RPA can, for example, automate appointment scheduling processes by integrating with scheduling software and patient management systems. It could be used to send appointment reminders, reschedule appointments based on availability, and update patient records in real-time, improving patient engagement and reducing no-show rates. RPA is also capable to extract relevant information from unstructured data sources such as clinical notes, medical images, and laboratory reports and integrate it into structured databases for analysis and decision-making.

I think that RPA offers healthcare organizations the opportunity to improve operational efficiency, enhance data accuracy, and streamline workflows across various departments. By automating routine tasks and optimizing data handling processes, RPA enables healthcare professionals to allocate more time and resources to patient care and clinical decision-making. There definitely is a demand to enchance these resources via digitalisation and robotics.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Medical imaging is already deploying AI elements in image acquisition, image processing and diagnostics. There are more possibilities than are utilized at the moment. Some countries are already further along in deploying these possibilities. I feel that in Finland there’s still very much humane caution in deploying these but I also think that careful proceeding, validation and regulation is justified to ensure patient safety and quality of care. In healthcare decision making there really is no room for errors and there’s always ethical issues when AI is concerned.  But we have already seen a glimpse of what the future can hold for us e.g. in AI-enhanced disease detection. AI-based methods can accelerate, harmonize and standardize interpretation of medical images, leading to better patient care outcomes. AI reshapes how radiologists work into more proactive approach. AI should be seen as an aid and a possibility – not as a replacement for the human expertise.

THE RISKS OF OPEN DIGITAL SOCIETY

Although open digital society comes with numerous benefits, it also carries certain risks that need to be considered and addressed. Addressing these risks requires a comprehensive and multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, public organizations, the private sector, and individuals to ensure that the benefits of an open digital society are maximized while mitigating its potential harms.

The rapid pace of technological innovation often outpaces the development of appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. This creates challenges in areas such as data protection, intellectual property rights, and digital governance, leaving gaps that can be exploited by bad actors. The development and deployment of artificial intelligence raise complex ethical dilemmas, including questions related to accountability, transparency, and the potential misuse of AI-powered technologies for malicious purposes.

With increased digitalization, there’s a risk of personal data being collected, stored, and potentially misused by various entities, including governments, corporations, and hackers. This can lead to privacy breaches and surveillance issues.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data protection law enacted by the European Union (EU) in May 2018. It aims to enhance the protection of individuals’ personal data and provide them with greater control over how their data is collected, processed, and used by organizations. It’s quite easy to see the effects in everyday life when using the Internet or any digital services as you are required to assess what information you allow to be collected and distributed before you even use the service. The GDPR broadly regulates all types of third-party data collection.

In working life, I have observed that some people are very aware of their rights and show interest in the way that their, for example, medical records are handled. This is mainly a positive thing and we continue to see the increase in patient awareness on data protection in the future. For sure this is a big change in patient engagement also and at the same time prevents misuse of the highly sensitive information way better than before. I’m still not so sure if the current means used serve equality because everyone doesn’t understand their rights or what they are consenting to or, even have the ability to express their exact will.

CHATGPT

ChatGPT is something I’ve heard a lot about, but have virtually no personal experience on until now. I asked questions regarding my current working field which consists of different medical imaging information systems, their management and problem solving. I was also keen to hear what it had to say about cyber security and cyber risks in the use of these systems. I think that the answers were quite good and versatile on these subjects.

As potential problems in usage of ChatGPT I would name bias and potential misinformation, because it leans on the used data being just and correct. AI models like ChatGPT may inadvertently learn and perpetuate biases present in the training data, leading to biased or stereotypical responses. This can reinforce societal prejudices and contribute to discrimination against certain groups of people.

ChatGPT and other AI systems may be vulnerable to security breaches, hacking attempts, or pure cyber attacks. Malicious actors could exploit vulnerabilities in the system to manipulate or deceive users, compromise data integrity, or launch cyber attacks. The use of AI models like ChatGPT raises complex ethical dilemmas regarding consent, transparency, and autonomy. Users may not always be aware that they are interacting with an AI system, raising questions about informed consent and the ethical implications of AI-driven interactions. The quality and reliability of responses generated by ChatGPT may vary depending on factors such as the quality of the training data and the complexity of the query. Users should exercise caution and critical thinking when relying on information obtained from AI models.

In general, I relate to the development and usage of AI cautiously, but with a positive twist. I believe that so to speak AI can be a good slave but should never be in the position of a master. One must always be aware of the risks and accept the limitations these kind of technologies have. Of course as humans we are also flawed and imperfect. But we humans have the ability to apply and implement things and information in a way that is appropriate to a specific situation and overall picture, taking into account individual variations. That is something that pure technology lacks of.

SELF EVALUATION

I think that the orientation material for this task was very interesting and well put together. Because I’ve already previously had interest on most of these subjects, all of it was not new to me but interesting all the same and made me think. I wish I had more time in my hands to just watch more and more of such presentations and hear the thoughts of these inspiring minds. What comes to digitalization, I feel that I already know and have learned a lot but most certainly am not ready yet 🙂 I’m very interested on cyber security issues and hope some day to be a true active in making this society and it’s functions more secure. So that is something I hope to learn even more about.

BLOG COMMENTS

I commented on Susanna’s and Titta’s pages:

DIGI SOCIETY – Susanna’s page (savonia.fi)

DIGI SOCIETY | Titta´s site (savonia.fi)