300 people attended the Generative Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Conference organized by the Innovation Unit
The Generative Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Idea Incubator, held on November 8th, 2023, was a well-attended success, drawing the attention of over three hundred individuals, including researchers, healthcare professionals, and innovation enthusiasts. Out of these three hundred individuals, one hundred participated in person, while two hundred fourteen joined virtually from different parts of the world.
The event took place in the auditorium of the San Carlos Clinical Hospital, with the Innovation Unit-IdISSC responsible for organizing, sponsored by Pfizer.
The opening remarks were delivered by the hospital’s medical director, Dr. Antonio Álvarez Blanco, who welcomed the participants and introduced Professor Julio Mayol and Dr. María Luaces as the event hosts.
The conference was structured into three thematic sessions, starting with the First Session titled “What is Generative AI? What is it used for?”
Julián Isla, Founder of the D29 Foundation and Data and AI Resource Manager, delivered the opening keynote. The subsequent panel discussion featured prominent experts, including Lourdes Araújo, Professor of Languages and Computer Systems at UNED, Víctor Maojo, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, and Jorge Nieto de Vicente Arche, biomedical engineer and data scientist from the Innovation Unit-IdISSC. The moderation was conducted by Dr. María Luaces, Director of the Innovation Unit.
Julián Isla’s conference:
Julian Isla is the Artificial Intelligence Resource Manager at Microsoft, founder of the D29 Foundation focused on AI and healthcare and has extensive experience in technology and consultancy in rare diseases in Europe. Despite not having a medical background, he represents patients at the European Medicines Agency and is a member of important European and Spanish rare disease organizations. His skillset encompasses technology, medicine, science, and regulation.
Julian Isla’s motivation to get involved in medical issues was the Dravet syndrome affecting his son. Initially, he sought treatments and participated in patient groups, but ended up getting involved in regulation and founding the D29 Foundation.
The D29 Foundation and its diagnostic tool (Dx29): The foundation was initiated in 2017 and has developed tools like Dx29, a diagnostic tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze medical reports and genomic files.
Challenges and Lessons Learned from Dx29: It highlights that the lack of training data, doctors’ limited time for new tools, and data model limitations were significant challenges in the development of Dx29.
Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: Julian reviews the history of artificial intelligence, highlighting the advent of deep learning and the generative artificial intelligence revolution, as evidenced by models like GPT-3 and GPT-4.
Generative AI Demonstration: He showcases examples of how generative artificial intelligence, like GPT-4, can interpret and analyze medical reports, even without being specifically trained on medical information.
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Diagnosis: He describes an experiment where they transformed their diagnostic tool using a language model (GPT-4) instead of traditional medical ontologies and classifications.
Collaboration with the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS): The artificial intelligence-based diagnostic tool has caught the attention of the Madrid Health Service, which is considering its implementation in primary care.
In summary, the conference highlights the impact of artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, in the field of medicine and presents specific examples of how these technologies can enhance diagnosis and healthcare. However, it emphasizes that they should not replace the judgment and experience of professionals.
Following the Networking Coffee…
The Second Session addressed the “Ethical and Legal Challenges of Generative AI in Healthcare,” featuring a presentation by Ricard Martínez, Director of the Microsoft Chair of Privacy and Digital Transformation at the University of Valencia. The panel discussion was moderated by Julio Mayol and included Joaquín Cayón de las Cuevas, Head of Legal Services at the Ministry of Health of the Autonomous Community of Cantabria, and Alberto Tortosa, Projects Technician at the Platform of Patient Organizations (POP).
Online conference by Ricard Martínez:
With a Doctorate in Law from the University of Valencia, he has devoted his research to the study of the fundamental right to data protection and various issues related to the impacts of information and communication technologies on privacy. Currently, he serves at the University of Valencia as a Contracted Doctor Professor in the Department of Constitutional Law, Political Science, and Administration. He is a member of the Healthcare Data Innovation Council.
He emphasized in his intervention the relevance of the imminent European Union regulation, the AI Act, which is likely to be confirmed soon. He underscores that technology is here to stay and that it is essential to regulate how it is used in the market.
The speaker advocates for a shift in focus from fear towards risk management in the use of technology. He discusses his involvement in the European Cancer Image project and its impact on research and data analysis.
He refers to the need to prepare for regulation, mentioning the European Health Data Space Regulation and its implications. He emphasizes the importance of security in the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence.
European Health Data Space
The speaker discusses data infrastructure and the need to consider interoperability and availability. He mentions the difference between pseudonymization and anonymization and highlights the importance of data protection impact assessment.
He talks about the regulation of artificial intelligence in the European Union and how systems dealing with special categories of data are considered high-risk. He comments on compliance verification requirements and the need for certification for artificial intelligence products. The model focuses on core values, one of which is its approach to the “Human-centric approach” or “Human rights approach”.
He addresses governance challenges, especially for Ethics Committees, which must adapt to new realities, such as the emergence of new stakeholders. He discusses the additional requirements in Spain regarding artificial intelligence and the need to consider security and ethics.
Finally, the speaker mentions challenges in human resources, especially the unsustainability of the current situation regarding data protection officers and the competitiveness of the European market in hiring experts in the field. He expresses concern about the public sector’s ability to attract and retain talent in a highly competitive market.
The day concluded with the Third Session on “Real-life Applications: Present and Future,” featuring a lecture by Fernando Rubio, CTO, and co-founder of V-Vision. The panel discussion, moderated by David Fraguas, Psychiatrist and Head of the Psychiatry Section at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital, included prominent professionals such as Aida Suárez, Chief Academic Officer of AMIR; Marcos Hernández, Deputy Medical Director of the Severo Ochoa University Hospital; Laura Llorente, Biomedical Engineer, and Data Scientist at the Innovation Unit-IdISSC; and Pablo Sánchez Cassinello, Digital Lead at Pfizer Spain.
Lecture by Fernando Rubio:
Computer Engineer, trained at the University of Castilla La-Mancha, with a Ph.D. in Advanced Computer Technologies and awarded Cum Laude distinction. Specialized in Artificial Intelligence, particularly in the field of Deep Learning and image processing.
Principal developer of the Dicopt app and, since 2022, CTO of V-Vision. Since then, I have been involved in the field of visual health and discovered the enormous potential of both Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality in this field.
Fernando Rubio presented advancements in the use of virtual reality and artificial intelligence in ophthalmology. He highlights the application of technology in the development of two products: DICOP, a visual therapy for amblyopia, and DICOP PRO, a portable workstation for screening tests in ophthalmology and optometry.
Rubio explains how virtual reality improves treatment adherence, facilitates remote testing, and offers customization in ophthalmic monitoring and treatment. Future challenges are addressed, such as advanced data analysis and accessible usability for specialists and patients.
The Event was sponsored by
