Not only in the U.S. but in most countries, healthcare is a blend. The absence of interoperability and fact-based guidance are some of the most significant issues in this data-rich era. Microsoft and IBM are two tech giants that stand out as actively seeking to remedy this.
Microsoft recently introduced the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare simultaneously, offering unparalleled access to data both for the doctors and patents. Both strategies help to maximize the patient experience and outcome while minimizing costs.
IBM based its Watson AI on providing diagnostic resources to medical professionals to diagnose even the most enigmatic diseases more accurately.
Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare
Microsoft’s latest hospital offering is special and unique. It tackles a concern raised by IBM’s efforts. The issue is the lack of coordination between health data repositories.
It still seems easy for malicious actors to access medical data. This is despite the effort to keep health data private. Even the best AI struggles with data sources that don’t communicate. It also struggles when the AI tool lacks access to the data.
Microsoft didn’t interoperate well a couple of decades ago, and the European Commission said it had to correct that or be fined out of business. Although Microsoft initially resisted this campaign, it had an epiphany. It realized that it could be a strategic advantage if it were the best at interoperation, and the business turned entirely to the other side. Microsoft now supports ideas such as Open Source and Linux, including IBM, which previously made a similar flip and an interoperability champion.
In terms of data access and ease of use, Microsoft seems to be so much better than the one we can use. But the big question is, how easy it is to use for patients and physicians, or how easy it is to set up for administrators, isn’t the killer aspect of Microsoft’s Cloud for Healthcare. It’s the enormous effort made by Microsoft to allow seamless transfer between data repositories. This emphasis is so that physicians, patients, and AIs can access the knowledge they need to make informed suggestions and decisions.
This effort is separated by one other thing: Microsoft’s immense emphasis on working with like-minded firms to make a fantastic solution. You see, no enterprise is big enough to address the healthcare crisis on its own. But the company is working on a project with more than 55 partners and together to resolve healthcare data issues.
IBM Watson and Healthcare
IBM’s Watson platform is one of the most effective tools I’ve seen applied to the healthcare crisis. It first came to the market based on this segment, and I had the opportunity to speak to the doctor leading the initiative.
He shared a story about a patient with a debilitating illness. He ran into her years ago, and nobody could diagnose her condition. The intense pain she felt struck his heart. He devoted his time over the years to diagnosing and solving her problem. It turned out to be a rare disorder, known by only a few. Very few had heard of it, let alone diagnosed it.
One of the first tests for Watson’s new medical implementation involved this patient’s symptoms. The doctor wanted to see if Watson could produce the same result in a reasonable time. Watson quickly noticed many theories, including the unknown disease.
Further tests may have taken days to confirm the true affliction. However, Watson’s diagnosis would have led to successful treatment in a much shorter time. This would have cut the patient’s years of suffering down to just days, if not hours.
This is one of the most important stories you will ever read about human suffering using AI technology. It showed the then-high priority of IBM to concentrate its energies on helping people; and laid a foundation for the organization’s AI conviction: AIs are best as human assistants, not as substitutes.
Conclusion: Better Together
Interestingly, Microsoft and IBM had one of the most powerful collaborations. They helped create the personal computer as we know it. However, both tech giants eventually parted ways. They went in the wrong direction. Neither liked to share. They were also different in terms of technologies.
Both firms have changed how they do business remarkably. All have significant cloud efforts now and are technologically more similar. Culturally, where it counts, they are identical. They enjoy sharing now and have decent partnering abilities.
As a result, Microsoft’s new medical solution has the support of IBM and the backing of many other leading industry players. They set an excellent example that the industry must acknowledge through cooperation. Because the pandemic reminded us that our apartments, businesses, and particularly our families endure, we do not focus on healthcare.