AI-Driven Healthcare Solutions Discussed at iHub Anubhuti IIITD Conference: Experts Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

“The NM-ICPS aims to recalibrate and synchronize efforts over the next three years to achieve impactful advancements,” Prof. Karandikar noted.

On September 5, 2024, medical professionals, engineers, scientists, and other stakeholders gathered at the iHub Anubhuti IIITD Foundation of Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT Delhi) for a comprehensive conference titled "AI in Healthcare: Bridging the Gap Between Medicine and Engineering." The event focused on developing AI-driven solutions to enhance patient care, optimize clinical processes, and improve healthcare outcomes.

In his inaugural address, Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), emphasized the transformative potential of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS). He highlighted how integrating AI, clinical sciences, and basic sciences with India’s extensive data sets could significantly improve healthcare access and address the country’s overloaded healthcare facilities.

“The NM-ICPS aims to recalibrate and synchronize efforts over the next three years to achieve impactful advancements,” Prof. Karandikar noted. He stressed the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration and encouraged participants to offer concrete recommendations for effective interventions.

The conference was jointly organized by the DST and five Technology Innovation Hubs (TiHs) under NM-ICPS, with co-support from AIIMS Delhi. It aimed to identify key healthcare challenges, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and explore practical implementations of AI in healthcare.

Dr. Ranjan Bose, Director of IIIT Delhi; Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Head of FFT Division at DST; Dr. Pushpendra Singh and Dr. Vikram Goyal, Project Directors at iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation, along with other domain experts, were present at the event.

Prominent professionals such as Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal from Manipal Hospitals, Dr. Sanjeev Sinha from AIIMS Delhi, Dr. Saket Choudhary from IIT Bombay’s Koita Centre for Digital Health, Dr. Moushumi Suryavanshi from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Anurag Agarwal from Ashoka University’s Koita Center for Digital Health, and Dr. Bharat Aggarwal from Max Hospitals, Delhi, shared valuable insights on the intersection of AI and healthcare. They offered suggestions on how to effectively merge these fields to address pressing medical challenges.

The conference featured interactive panel discussions, including “Perspective of AI in Healthcare from the Medical Community” and “Perspective of AI in Healthcare from the Engineering Community.” Attendees also visited the Medical Cobotics Center (MCC) to gain a deeper understanding of AI’s potential in healthcare.

The event highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in developing AI solutions to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes.