6.7 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF HEALTH
30 specialised health services. By using Lunit INSIGHT CXR technology, it was able to use artificial intelligence to analyse chest X-rays, allowing pilgrims to be treated during this year’s Hajj season. THE CUSP OF A REVOLUTION We have all been connected globally for years now through social media, so why should health care be any different? We are on the cusp of a revolution that will give rise to new borderless models. Just as Estonia has helped transform the way we work remotely with its digital nomad-friendly e-Residency program and fintechs are disrupting the way we transfer money, there is a very real need to dismantle frontiers to treat patients. Imagine a patient in rural Rwanda being treated by doctors in Kigali or specialists in Geneva through a telemedicine service. All of a sudden, complex physical geographies and weak infrastructure become less important. And the innovations keep coming. The hype over the metaverse has died down since the fanfare of last year, but the underlying technologies including virtual and augmented reality continue to grow in importance. Indeed, venture
capitalists invested $707 million into metaverse projects in the first half of 2023, accounting for 44% of web3 investments. Web3 is a new kind of internet service built using decentralised blockchains, which are the shared ledger systems used by cryptocurrencies. Today, there is an immense focus on AI. The evolution and use of generative AI through tools such as ChatGPT are surging, to the extent that there is industry pressure to regulate the technology before developing it further. But technology is only part of the picture. There needs to be the right backing and regulatory environment, especially in the context of digital health. All patients of all backgrounds should have access to health treatments, whether they are in the Sahara or in Singapore. This is more than compassion; it is the right thing to do. It is also inevitable at some point, given the rapid technological changes. As technology advances, we must ensure that it takes into account everyone’s needs, free of any bias or preference. ALL VIEWS ACTED ON In the spirit of inclusivity, all stakeholder views must be harnessed and acted on: patients, providers, physicians, payers and, of course, governments. We must all be on the same page, and preferably before the next pandemic comes, through ongoing dialogue – whether these are multilateral talks at the very highest level or industry associations. Moreover, it is essential to recognise that the future of work, characterised by the ability to work from anywhere for everyone, will not only empower experts to contribute to their own countries but also collaborate globally. In this intertwined future of work and health care, both domains have the potential to add new dimensions to the ongoing effort of removing healthcare boundaries and creating a healthier, more connected world. The part of humanising technology and the importance of global collaboration in this endeavour cannot be overstated. As an advocate for change and inclusivity, I hope we can accelerate the conversation today so that we may arrive at new legitimate models or frameworks that we can all agree on, which the world's population so sorely needs. The possibilities for the future of health care are boundless. It is up to us to shape a healthier and more connected world for all. ▪
MALIHA HASHMI Maliha Hashmi is a World Economic Forum Global Future Council Expert and a delegate of the Vulnerable 20, and winner of the Forbes Health Leadership Award in 2022. She was named one of the Top Seven Most Talented Female Health Leaders of the Middle East and North Africa region. Committed to bringing positive change, wellness and growth to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, she received her doctorate and master’s degrees from Harvard and MIT.
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Health: A Political Choice – From Fragmentation to Integration
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