Alumni Webinar on Artificial Intelligence for Health Professionals

The Directorate of Alumni Relations, in collaboration with the College of Health Sciences, successfully hosted a webinar themed “Artificial Intelligence for Health Professionals”. The session brought together 154 alumni from various health disciplines, creating an engaging platform for dialogue on the impact of AI in the healthcare sector.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Paul Macharia, a lecturer and human-centered design researcher at Strathmore University, facilitated an interactive session that encouraged alumni to share their perspectives and experiences on how AI is influencing healthcare practice.

Key Takeaways:

1. AI Applications in Healthcare:
   1. Customer Care: Enhancing patient interaction and service delivery through AI-powered chatbots and support systems.
   1. Fraud Detection: Leveraging AI tools to detect and prevent fraudulent activities within healthcare systems.
   1. Drug Development: Accelerating pharmaceutical research and development through AI-driven data analysis.
2. Ethical and Professional Considerations:
   1. The importance of data protection and safeguarding patient information.
   1. Identifying potential biases in AI models and understanding their implications.
   1. Defining fairness criteria in AI systems to ensure equitable healthcare delivery.
   1. Strategies to mitigate bias in healthcare data and algorithms.

Dr. Macharia emphasized that while AI presents transformative opportunities for healthcare professionals, it is equally important to approach its adoption with caution, ensuring ethical standards and fairness are upheld.

The webinar concluded with an appreciation to Dr. Macharia for his insightful presentation and to the alumni for their active participation. The Directorate reaffirmed its commitment to creating more platforms for professional growth and knowledge exchange among Mount Kenya University alumni.