We sat down with Margrietha H. (Greet) Vink, Erasmus MC's Director of Research Development Office and Smart Health Tech Center, to ask her for her thoughts on the future of AI in healthcare.
Do you think the increased usage of Generative AI and LLMs will have a dramatic impact on the healthcare industry and, if so, how?
The integration of Generative AI and LLMs into the healthcare industry holds the potential to revolutionise various aspects of patient care, from diagnostics and treatment to administrative tasks and drug development. However, this transformation will require careful consideration of ethical, legal, and practical challenges to ensure that the benefits are realised in a responsible and equitable manner.
If you could solve any global health problem in the world with AI, what would it be?
AI can address a range of interconnected health challenges faced by women and girls world-wide. For example, predictive analytics during pregnancy and childbirth, such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, allowing for early interventions. It could assist in remote monitoring the vital signs of pregnant women in real-time. Provide access to healthcare in remote or underserved. Improve cervical and breast cancer screening by analysing medical images for early signs leading to early diagnosis and treatment.AI can help manage chronic conditions more effectively, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), by analysing symptoms and treatment responses to offer personalised management plans. AI-powered chatbots and virtual therapists could provide mental health support to women and girls, addressing issues such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
What do you think will be the biggest impact of AI and tech in the healthcare sector in the next 5 years?
AI will in de coming 5 years automate administrative processes such as scheduling, billing, and medical record management, reducing the burden on healthcare providers more and allowing them to focus more on patient care. Which is essential knowing the growing number of patients in need and the decreasing number of staff.
AI will also assist in further optimizing medical resources allocation.
AI will significantly speed up and accelerated research in various areas, such as drug discovery, but also in the field of disease prevention and control.
About Margrietha H. (Greet) Vink
Ms. Vink is the Director of the Smart Health Tech Center (SHTC) of Erasmus MC. SHTC focuses on the integration, development, testing and validation of technologies for health and healthcare. SHTC contributes to advancements in healthcare technology, enabling better patient outcomes and improving the overall healthcare landscape. In addition to her role at SHTC, Ms. Vink is also the Director of Research Development Office (RDO) of Erasmus MC. RDO offers a range of funding application-related services for research, innovation and education to promote (inter)national cooperation and financing.
Before Ms. Vink joined Erasmus MC in 2016, she was Business Director of the UNESCO-IHE Water Institute in Delft. Before that, from 2007 onwards, she worked as Special Advisor & Program Manager EU / Government relations at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). Until then, she was Head of the Technical and Scientific Attaches Network of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands. Prior to that, she worked as senior policy advisor European research and technology policy for the Ministry of Economic Affairs. She also worked as Director Liaison Office at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and as a research and training advisor for the United Nations (FAO & UNHCR).
In addition to her job at Erasmus MC, Ms. Vink advises the Netherlands AI Coalition (NLAIC) on European Affairs and UN Women Netherlands on Public Affairs.
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