Interview: Advances and challenges posed by artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector

Technological innovation in the healthcare sector continues to be a promising avenue for driving transformation that guarantees greater access in a sector directly impacting people’s lives.

Contxto spoke with Dr. Olga Lucía Herrera, president of the National Board of Directors of the Colombian Society of Anesthesiology, about the advances and challenges of healthcare technology in Latin America.

The pandemic marked a turning point: “We migrated from an absolutely face-to-face model to tools that allowed us to reach where we could not,” she said.

With more than 100,000 hours of medical attention through telemedicine, the tool has undoubtedly boosted progress.

However, Herrera made an urgent appeal: “Our healthcare professionals need more training.” The challenge, she says, is to be proactive and “not to wait for others to do it, but to suggest, socialize and train.”

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the top doctor warned of critical risks. In Colombia, the digital divide is huge: 95% of urban areas have internet while only 28% of those in rural areas are connected.

“If we do not close this gap, technology deepens inequalities,” asserted Herrera. She raised necessary questions: how do we prevent algorithms from replicating biases? Who protects patient data? Her position is clear: AI cannot be for engineers alone; physicians must actively participate in its development.

The ethical challenges

Dr. Olga emphasized that no technological advance can replace the ethical foundations of medicine. “In my training at the Universidad del Cauca and the Hospital Universitario San José I learned that technical excellence must always go hand in hand with human commitment.” She stressed that this ethical foundation is especially crucial when implementing AI systems that make decisions affecting human lives.

From her position, Dr. Herrera actively promotes collaboration with organizations such as the World Federation of Anesthesiologists. “Latin America has unique particularities that must be considered in technological development. We cannot simply adopt solutions designed for other contexts.” This cooperation makes it possible to adapt global innovations to the specific needs of the region.

The specialist envisions a future where AI allows us to move from a reactive to a preventive model: “Imagine being able to identify health risks before they manifest clinically, especially in remote communities.”

However, she cautions that this change requires investment in digital infrastructure and community education: “The most sophisticated technology fails if it doesn’t reach those who need it most and if people don’t understand its usefulness.”