From AI hype to human impact: Philips’ Peter Skillman on the future of healthcare

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, but Peter Skillman, the Global Head of Design at Royal Philips, emphasizes that it should not be the ultimate goal. Instead, the real value of AI lies in solving practical problems related to healthcare. Skillman highlighted the need to focus on customers' needs and develop solutions that enhance the experience, safety, and well-being of patients and healthcare professionals.

Philips' AI-driven approach encompasses various areas, including medical imaging, clinical decision support, connected care, and personal health. By understanding the specific needs, the company tailors its AI solutions to deliver better experiences and outcomes. An example of this is the SmartHeart solution, which simplifies the cardiac MRI imaging workflow, reducing the number of required clicks from 130 to just three.

Moreover, Philips is leveraging AI for remote cardiac monitoring via ePatch. After certain heart procedures, patients can wear the patch for up to 14 days, continuously monitoring their condition. The collected data is analyzed remotely, enabling care teams to identify potential issues and ensure patients receive timely attention. This approach improves patient experience, outcomes, and reduces care costs.

Generative AI is also playing a crucial role in healthcare organizations by helping analyze challenges and devise solutions. During meetings with Saudi healthcare institutions, Skillman used an AI agent to capture operational pain points and create detailed reports, visual storyboards, and implementation roadmaps. This process, which would typically take considerable time and coordination, was completed within minutes, showcasing the power of AI in accelerating planning and solution development.

However, Skillman cautioned against the misconception of building an "AI hospital" and stressed the importance of maintaining a human-centric approach, prioritizing patient care and the well-being of healthcare professionals. Responsible AI adoption should adhere to principles such as well-being, fairness, transparency, trust, and sustainability.

Transparency is particularly vital, ensuring that healthcare professionals can easily recognize AI-generated recommendations within clinical interfaces and that human oversight remains a central component of decision-making.

AI also holds the potential to bridge healthcare access gaps, especially in geographically large countries like Saudi Arabia. Solutions such as remote monitoring, virtual collaboration, and flexible diagnostic technologies can help distribute clinical expertise more effectively, including tele-ICU solutions and Philips BlueSeal MRI technology. These innovations can enable advanced imaging and specialized care to reach patients in remote areas, promoting equitable access to healthcare services.