By Benjamin Akoto
Sunyani, Nov. 08, GNA – Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister, has urged laboratory scientists to protect and guarantee the confidentiality of the medical records of their clients.
She said, this was an important ethical requirement under their practice and urged them to maintain transparency in their use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for enhanced data security.
Madam Owusu-Banahene gave the advice at the opening session of the 2024 Annual National Congress of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), underway in Sunyani.
The four-day congress is on the theme “Enhancing medical laboratory practice through innovative technologies,” and it is attended by GAMLS members across the nation.
Madam Owusu-Banahene asked the GAML to be cautious in integrating AI into laboratory services, saying, as the technology advanced, professionals also ought to be effectively equipped to oversee and validate AI-generated outcomes.
She highlighted the potential of AI in revolutionising diagnostic services, data management, identifying patterns and making predictions, saying the technology had the capability to enhance diagnostic accuracy and speed, thereby making it an invaluable tool in the medical laboratory.
The Regional Minister noted that in the present technological age, the integration of digital tools into laboratory operations would transform healthcare delivery by bridging gaps between healthcare providers, streamlining workflows, and enabling real-time decision-making.
She admitted that the nation’s healthcare services were confronted with logistical and infrastructural challenges and such digital tools, offered a realistic solution to overcome those barriers.
“By adopting and scaling up these technologies, even most remote communities can access timely and accurate diagnostic services,” she stated.
She encouraged the GAMLS to embrace innovative technologies to enhance medical laboratory practice, to improve the nation’s healthcare delivery.
Dr Abu Abudu Rahamani, the President of GMALS, said technologies such as molecular diagnostics, next-generation sequencing, and advanced imaging techniques had revolutionised the way and manner diseases were detected and monitored.
“Digitising laboratory operations enhances the ability to collect, store, and analyse data, ultimately leading to better decision-making and improved patient outcomes”, he stated.
Dr Rahamani described AI as a game-changer in the field of laboratory science, saying AI-driven algorithms could quickly and accurately analyse vast amounts of data, providing insights that would be impossible for humans to achieve alone.
“In areas such as disease prediction, personalised medicine, and diagnostic interpretation, AI has already proven to be an invaluable tool,” he stated.
However, the integration of AI into laboratories ought to be done thoughtfully focusing on complementing expertise of scientists, rather than replacing it, he said.
Dr Laud Anthony Basing, a lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, entreated the GMALS to stay relevant in the constantly evolving healthcare industry, highlighting the significance embracing new technologies.
He urged the Association to shift focus towards molecular diagnostics to meet the demands of the changing landscape in the healthcare sector.
GNA