Artificial intelligence could help identify health risks early, but experts warn that systemic changes and better governance are required to ensure safety and public trust.
Key facts
- •Two-thirds of the 53 WHO Europe countries are currently using AI diagnostics.
- •Half of the countries in the WHO Europe region use AI-powered patient chatbots.
- •Only one in 12 countries in the WHO Europe region has a strategy for governing AI.
- •HealthAI is working with regulators in 10 countries to develop a global early warning system for AI risks.
- •Experts emphasize that AI must be paired with financial incentives that prioritize keeping patients healthy over treating them after they fall ill.
As Europe's population ages, healthcare systems face increasing pressure to shift from reactive treatment to proactive prevention. Artificial intelligence offers potential to identify at-risk individuals before conditions deteriorate, but experts argue that technology alone is insufficient to drive this change.
By the numbers
Systemic and Financial Challenges
Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, warns that retrofitting AI into inefficient systems will not solve underlying problems. He argues that healthcare systems must move away from financial models that prioritize treating illness and instead adopt funding structures that reward early intervention and proactive monitoring.
Governance and Public Trust
The deployment of AI in healthcare faces significant hurdles regarding safety and oversight. WHO Europe chief Hans Henri P. Kluge noted that while many countries are implementing AI diagnostics and chatbots, very few have established strategies to govern these tools. This lack of oversight poses a risk to patients and may erode public trust in health systems. HealthAI is currently collaborating with regulators in 10 countries to create an early warning system to detect and manage potential adverse events.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Euronews Health.
