How Promising is NLP in Healthcare?

The integration of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in the healthcare and life sciences sector is burgeoning, with significant advancements being made by healthcare organizations in conjunction with technology companies. This innovation is transforming how medical data is processed, analyzed, and utilized to improve patient outcomes and overall healthcare delivery.

For instance, in August 2019, UCHealth, a not-for-profit health care system based in the US, introduced a groundbreaking virtual assistance named ‘Livi’. This AI-powered digital assistant is accessible on smart speaker devices, providing a novel way to engage patients and provide them with reliable information. This application of NLP is just the beginning of a promising journey that could significantly enhance healthcare services.

Valuable Insights from Patient Charts

One of the most promising applications of NLP is the potential to extract value from the extensive notes and records present in patient charts. By leveraging advanced computational techniques, healthcare providers can automate the extraction of critical information, leading to more efficient case management and improved patient care.

However, this process requires special lexicons and sophisticated algorithms to recognize entities and disambiguate terms effectively. These challenges are part of what makes NLP in healthcare a nascent field. Despite these hurdles, the potential benefits make it well worth the effort.

Advancements and Innovations

Several advancements are emerging in the application of NLP to healthcare. For example:

Handwritten prescriptions are gradually being replaced by typed ones, which are moving towards voice-to-text conversions for convenience and efficiency. Observations that are often not captured can be documented more effectively through NLP. Medications come in standardized forms, but with NLP, they can be personalized to suit specific patient needs. Certain physiotherapy exercises can be transformed from text descriptions into voice-activated actions, enhanced with video assistance.

These innovations are just the tip of the iceberg, and professionals in the healthcare sector are already contributing valuable insights and ideas to shape the future of NLP in this context.

Theoretical Foundations and Applications

NLP is grounded in a comprehensive understanding of the human mind, formulated in the 'Rules of the Mind' by its creators, Richard Bandler and John Grinder. These principles have been applied not only in healthcare but also in diverse fields such as education, business, and political negotiation. Their work has sparked a new era in psychology, significantly enhancing our understanding of cognitive processes.

Some potential applications of NLP in healthcare include:

Improving diagnostic accuracy through advanced data analysis and pattern recognition. Enhancing patient engagement through conversational interfaces and interactive tools. Personalizing treatment plans to achieve better outcomes. Facilitating more efficient communication among healthcare professionals.

The potential of NLP is vast, and its applications are multifaceted. It offers a promising avenue for healthcare providers to streamline their operations, enhance patient care, and make meaningful contributions to the field of medicine.

If you are interested in learning more about NLP in healthcare and its applications in both medical and legal fields, I will be presenting a free, virtual talk at SAS Global 2021. Join us to explore the exciting future of NLP in healthcare and beyond.