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Artificial Intelligence and Robots in Medicine

By U.S. News & World Report

I have been in private medical practice for 30 years, and I have seen enormous changes in the art and caring for human beings in our health care system. That change is continuing at a far greater rate than I could have ever expected, and in medicine, it impacts both the patient and physician. Whether it’s from insurance involvement in individual patient care decisions or government taking part in the free market health system, outside of these business and political influences, as a society we must be ready for the coming of age of computers and artificial intelligence.

[See: 8 Cool Uses for 3-D Printers in Health Care.]

In medicine specifically, artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that has the capacity to analyze complex medical data and assist the physician in improving patient outcomes. I am cautiously optimistic about the forthcoming changes in medicine, as AI is making its way into our future and the applications are tremendous. A variety of new AI tools have become available in recent years that help physicians as intelligent assistants to clinicians, continually scrutinizing electronic data streams for important trends, or fine-tuning the settings of bedside devices. Computers’ potential to develop meaningful relationships with human beings begins with simple tasks like a differential diagnosis, treatment and predicting outcomes in clinical scenarios.

In medicine, there have been high-profile robotic devices that have revolutionized treating human diseases. The most notable is the da Vinci system, which assists urologists in removing the prostate in patients with prostate cancer. The system does not replace a physician; rather, this high-definition 3D system enables surgeons to bend and rotate patient tissues far greater than with the traditional unassisted human surgery. Thus, patients with prostate cancer have better clinical outcomes. More importantly, the side effects of using this robotic system are decreased and allow a faster return of erectile (sexual) function, decreased risk of urinary continence, reduced blood loss or the need for transfusion, lowered risk of complications and wound infection, and many more.

[See: When Health Treatments Go From Hospital to DIY.]

Another common medical disorder in men is hair loss, and hair restoration surgery is one of the most common elective cosmetic procedures for male patients. In hair restoration, there’s a new type of AI — a robotic system called ARTAS that assists hair surgeons in performing hair surgery. The advanced algorithms and AI in this device supports us in performing a very repetitive and physically demanding surgical harvesting technique called follicular unit extraction, or FUE. The robot device reduces the risk of physician-induced repetitive motion disorders while also decreasing the ergonomic demands on the musculoskeletal system joints and tendons in the arms and hands. I use this robotic device when performing FUE harvesting on patients suffering form hair thinning and hair loss, a medical disorder better known as androgenetic aopecia. The robotic device creates wonderful hair grafts and is comparable to the traditional handheld FUE motorized devices, but without the hefty price tag.

[See: 7 Ways Technology Can Torpedo Your Health.]

When discussing AI in medicine, we often wonder about the impact on humans, both as patients and providers. Oxford University professors Carl Benedikt and Michael Osborne, from the Department of Engineering Science, stated in a published paper in 2013 that 47 percent of the U.S. total labor market may be at risk of losing their jobs to computerization. While I don’t believe AI will replace human physicians, computers and robots will continue to replace human jobs that are primarily repetitive in nature. Some robotic devices are simple and straightforward and make sense for making predictable daily decisions for human beings. As the use of robots and AI increases, it will become a greater part of our everyday human existence — assisting in automation of routine human effort and reducing human energy and repetition. In the end, however, I predict that human touch cannot be replaced by machines, AI or computers. The hand that rocks the cradle is still the hand that rules the world.

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Artificial Intelligence and Robots in Medicine originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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