18 October 2024 – The 2024 edition of the AI2FUTURE conference, held on October 17, provided a platform for ground-breaking discussions on the integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare, featuring a key presentation and panel from the AI4Health.Cro project. This premier AI event, known for its extensive program and wide attendance, attracted around 300 participants interested in the latest AI developments across various sectors.
The Ruđer Bošković Institute’s Dr. Anja Barešić, a central figure in coordinating the AI4Health.Cro project, opened the project’s participation with a compelling presentation titled “AI4Health.Cro– Project Overview, Results, and Services.” Starting at 14:30, Dr. Barešić engaged attendees with an in-depth look at the project’s objectives, activities, and significant achievements during its initial phase. The presentation also outlined the project’s mission and vision, emphasizing its role within the broader European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) ecosystem.
Following the insightful lecture, a panel discussion, “AI in Healthcare: Wins and Takeaways from the AI4Health.Cro Innovation Challenge,” immediately commenced, creating a bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Moderated by Dr. Barešić, the panel featured Karlo Pintarić, MD from AstraZeneca, Maša Šams Bival from Magdalena Clinic, Moris Bagić, MD from the Croatian Institute of Public Health, and researcher Miha Keber from the Ruđer Bošković Institute.
Each panellist brought unique insights from their participation in the AI4Health.Cro Innovation Challenge, discussing the transformative potential of AI in enhancing patient care and optimizing healthcare processes. Dr. Pintarić shared the journey and success of his team’s predictive model for early hospital readmissions, which won the previous year’s challenge. This model exemplifies how AI can significantly reduce readmission rates and improve patient outcomes by allowing timely interventions.
Ms. Bival discussed the pivotal role of AI in advancing healthcare digitalization at the Magdalena Clinic, particularly in cardiovascular medicine. Dr. Bagić highlighted the public health perspective, stressing the importance of reliable AI solutions in managing public health data and improving outcomes. Meanwhile, Mr. Keber provided a technical overview of the challenge, including the use of machine learning innovations and synthetic data to refine healthcare models.
The panel concluded with a Q&A session, providing the audience with the opportunity to delve deeper into the discussion topics. This interaction underscored the enthusiastic reception and interest in the AI4Health.Cro project’s efforts and its upcoming Innovation Challenge, slated to open in December 2024.
The event was well-received, drawing significant attention not only from the conference attendees but also through extensive promotional efforts across various channels, including social media, newsletters, and collaborative networks like the Croatian Artificial Intelligence Association.
The AI2FUTURE conference continues to be a crucial venue for fostering innovation and collaboration in the AI sector, with AI4Health.Cro leading the way in demonstrating the vital impact of artificial intelligence in modernizing healthcare.