&w=3840&q=100)
Tech meets touch: How doctors are adapting to the digital transformation of healthcare
As technology continues to transform healthcare at an unprecedented pace, doctors are learning to walk the tightrope between innovation and intuition. From AI-powered diagnostics to telemedicine platforms and wearable tech, physicians across India are adopting new tools with cautious optimism but insist that the irreplaceable human touch remains at the core of healing.
Dr. Ajay Agarwal, Senior Director of Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital (Noida) believes that while digital innovation brings undeniable efficiency, it must be grounded in clinical wisdom. 'We must navigate this transformation with a blend of cautious optimism and evolving pragmatism,' he said. Telemedicine for instance, has become a permanent fixture in healthcare practice, especially for chronic disease follow-ups and preliminary triage.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'It has enhanced accessibility and allowed us to manage patients remotely with greater ease,' Dr. Agarwal added. 'But subtle diagnostic cues like a patient's gait, expressions or behavioural signs—are still best read in person.'
AI, meanwhile, is viewed by Dr. Agarwal as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement. 'It opens doors to deeper clinical reasoning by highlighting imaging patterns and supporting diagnosis, but its integration must be critically evaluated by trained physicians,' he said.
Digital health portals and patient records available online have also improved data sharing across hospitals, bridging long-standing communication gaps. Still, he added, 'The art of understanding the person behind the illness, that is something no tool can replicate.'
Dr. Tushar Tayal, Consultant in Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital (Gurugram) echoed this sentiment, saying that technology has permanently altered the landscape of healthcare. 'The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift that was already underway,' he says. Telemedicine has evolved from a peripheral service to a mainstay of patient care, particularly useful for mental health, routine follow-ups and care in underserved regions.
'Doctors have had to develop virtual bedside manners—learning how to maintain empathy and build trust through a screen.'
AI's role in diagnostics is particularly pronounced in radiology, pathology, and dermatology, where pattern recognition can be enhanced by machine learning. 'These tools help reduce errors and allow us to focus more on patient interaction,' Dr. Tayal added.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Wearables and mobile health apps are another frontier. Devices that monitor heart rate, blood sugar, and sleep patterns now offer real-time data that can inform personalised treatment plans. 'Doctors are collaborating with data scientists to make sense of this information,' he said. Medical education is also adapting, with new training modules focusing on digital ethics, AI tools and critical data analysis.
Still, the integration of tech in healthcare isn't without its challenges. Data privacy, screen fatigue and the risk of over-reliance on algorithms remain key concerns. Yet both doctors agree that rather than replacing physicians, technology is expanding their role. Today's doctors are no longer just healers, they are digital guides, interpreters of complex data and managers of virtual care ecosystems.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Study estimates 13 per cent of biomedical abstracts published in 2024 involved use of AI
NEW DELHI: At least 13 per cent of research abstracts published in 2024 could have taken help from a large language model, as they included more of 'style' words seen to be favoured by these AI systems, suggests an analysis of more than 15 million biomedical papers published from 2010 to 2024. Powered by artificial intelligence, large language models are trained on vast amounts of text and can, therefore, respond to human requests in the natural language. Researchers from the University of Tübingen, Germany, said the AI models have caused a drastic shift in the vocabulary used in academic writing, with speculation about their influence in scientific writing being common. The study, published in the journal Science, revealed the emergence of large language models has sparked an increase in the usage of certain "stylistic words", including 'delves', 'showcasing', 'underscores', 'potential', 'findings' and 'critical'. The authors explained that the shift in words used during 2023-2024 were not "content-related nouns", rather style-affecting verbs and adjectives that large language models prefer. For the analysis, the researchers used a public health approach, common during the COVID-19 pandemic, for estimating excess deaths. The method involves comparing deaths during the pandemic with those before to assess the impact of COVID-19 on death rates. The approach modified for this analysis was termed as an "excess word" framework by researchers. The findings show an "unprecedented impact" of AI models on scientific writing in biomedical research, "surpassing the effect of major world events such as the COVID-19 pandemic". "We study vocabulary changes in more than 15 million biomedical abstracts from 2010 to 2024 indexed by PubMed and show how the appearance of (large language models) led to an abrupt increase in the frequency of certain style words," the authors wrote.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
New COVID strain 'Stratus': Experts warn of a strange symptom
Image credits: iStock Experts in the UK have warned of a new Covid variant called 'Stratus' that could drive a new wave of infections. Scientifically known as XFG, this strain is thought to be more infectious than the previous strains due to its mutations that help evade the immune system. According to the data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Stratus has now become the dominant COVID-19 strain in England, going from accounting for about 10% of all Covid cases in May to almost 40% of all cases in mid-June. Stratus, which is a descendant of the super-virulent Omicron, is known as a Frankenstein or 'recombinant' strain, meaning it emerged when a person was infected with two Covid strains at once, which became a new hybrid variant. Both strains of Stratus- the original XFG and the spin-off XFG.3 are 'rapidly spreading' said Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University to MailOnline. "Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3." "This could lead to a new wave of infection but it's difficult to predict the extent of this wave," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Can Stratus cause more severe illness? Image credits: iStock According to Young, currently, there is no evidence that proves that Stratus causes more severe illness. He added that getting a Covid vaccine was 'very likely' to prevent severe illness and hospitalisation. WHO (World Health Organization) declared the strain as a 'variant under monitoring' while assessing its overall risk as 'low' However, the organisation also pointed to the variant having a significant growth advantage when compared to other strains with it currently accounting for 22% of cases recorded worldwide. What are the symptoms of the Stratus strain? Image credits: iStock Most of the symptoms of Stratus are similar to the previous strains. According to the NHS, these symptoms include shortness of breath, loss or change to smell or taste, feeling tired or exhausted, high temperature or shivering, blocked or runny nose, aching body, continuous cough, sore throat, headache, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, and feeling sick. However, according to Dr Kaywaan Khan, Harley Street GP and Founder of Hannah London Clinic, one of the most noticeable symptoms of the Stratus variant is hoarseness, which includes a scratchy or raspy voice. The doctor added that the symptoms tend to be mild to moderate in general and if a person tests positive, they must stay at home and isolate as Stratus is highly contagious added the doctor in conversation with Cosmopolitan UK.
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Covid's hidden toll: Mental health, malaria, heart disease
Covid's hidden toll: Mental health, malaria, heart disease Credit: Getty Images A new study by the BMJ has revealed that the pandemic disrupted healthcare systems worldwide, leading to sharp rises in illness and death from non-Covid causes such as mental health issues, malaria, stroke, and heart disease. Covid disrupted more than just infections Data from 204 countries including India revealed that depressive disorders increased by 23% in children aged 5–14 between 2020 and 2021. Mental health disorders surged in children Malaria deaths jumped by 14% in children under five, and the age-standardised death rate rose by 12%, with the highest burden seen in the African region. Malaria deaths rose among young children People aged 70 and older saw significant increases in heart disease and stroke prevalence, with ischemic heart disease affecting 169 per 100,000 and stroke affecting 27 per 100,000 in this group. Heart disease and stroke worsened Age-standardised DALY (disability-adjusted life years) rates rose by 12% for depression and anxiety, and by 14% for anxiety alone. Mental health disease burden The study highlights how Covid-19 interacted with existing health problems to create a 'syndemic'—a situation where multiple health issues overlap and worsen outcomes for populations. The pandemic caused a 'syndemic' health crisis Researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 to simulate the impact across 174 conditions in different age groups and regions—offering one of the most comprehensive views to date. Data used Researchers call for better resilience in health systems, including integrated surveillance, emergency funding for essential services, and expansion of universal health coverage. Stronger health systems are needed This study highlights how data can guide smarter recovery to ensure that future health crises disrupt lives less and afflict populations more evenly, say researchers.
