Local opinion: Why Tucson should go big on AI healthcare

The following is the opinion and analysis of the writers:

Tucson is at a crossroads of opportunity. With a burgeoning healthcare sector, robust research institutions, and a community eager for economic growth, Tucson can emerge as a leader in AI-driven healthcare.

Tucson's research and healthcare strengths

Tucson's significant advantage is its strong base in research and healthcare. The University of Arizona, known for its biomedical and information sciences programs, plays a central role. Banner Health — one of the region's largest healthcare systems — provides fertile ground for research, clinical trials, and AI applications in healthcare. Tech Parks Arizona fosters academic, industry, and government collaboration, supporting AI research and development. The Center for Innovation is a leader in technology commercialization and is mainly involved in the biomedical field. Tucson has a solid foundation for piloting AI-driven tools in diagnostics, treatment planning, and administrative efficiency.

Building an AI-skilled workforce

Tucson should urgently prioritize workforce development in AI healthcare to realize this AI leadership opportunity. The need for a skilled AI workforce is pressing and crucial for the future of Tucson's healthcare sector. Training local students, especially those from low-income or high-unemployment communities, in AI skills could help revolutionize patient care by addressing access, cost, and quality challenges.

Partnerships with organizations such as Pima Community College, Job Path, JTED, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Pima County, and the City of Tucson should undertake a robust training initiative for AI, data science, diagnostics, patient monitoring, AI ethics, and digital privacy. This approach would close the regional healthcare skills gap, promote upward mobility, and reduce poverty. Wrap-around services, including transportation, childcare, food, and healthcare, would further support students from underrepresented neighborhoods to access better-paying careers.

AI's role in addressing mental health

AI could help Tucson address mental illness and substance abuse in the region. Arizona faces a significant mental health crisis, ranking 49th nationally in terms of mental health prevalence and access. Southern Arizona suffers from a shortage of behavioral health professionals. AI could be a vital part of the solution.

AI tools like chatbots and virtual therapists offer immediate mental health support, reducing wait times and providing services in areas lacking mental health professionals. AI can analyze large health datasets to detect early signs of mental illness, suicidal tendencies, or substance abuse, allowing for early intervention. Additionally, AI can assist clinicians by analyzing patient data to support diagnoses and recommend treatment plans. AI-based training platforms can also accelerate the development of mental health professionals, filling workforce gaps in Tucson.

Economic benefits of an AI health ecosystem

The potential for AI applications in healthcare to reduce provider costs, improve patient outcomes, and streamline administrative processes is immense. AI healthcare is generative for business opportunities, tech startups, and investment.

A mentorship network connecting entrepreneurs with AI experts, healthcare providers, and essential resources could foster the growth of AI healthcare startups. These startups, in turn, would generate high-paying jobs, attract investment, and enhance Tucson's standing in healthcare technology. Fostering AI health start-ups could help retain local talent, but too often, talented graduates leave Tucson for tech hubs like Silicon Valley or Austin. Strengthening the AI Entrepreneurial Ecosystem could reverse this brain drain.

Transforming healthcare access and outcomes

AI in healthcare can also significantly improve access and outcomes for Tucson's underserved populations. Rural and low-income communities face barriers like limited transportation, a shortage of specialists, and long wait times. AI-driven tools, including telemedicine, predictive analytics, and automated diagnostics, could address these barriers by making healthcare more accessible and affordable. AI-enabled telemedicine can extend specialist care to remote areas, ensuring high-quality healthcare for all Tucson residents, regardless of location or income. This would not only enhance the health of Tucson's population but also reduce healthcare disparities across the region.

The time for bold action is now. Tucson is uniquely positioned to lead in AI-driven healthcare. With solid research, healthcare, and innovation foundations, Tucson could become a national model for AI healthcare. AI healthcare can help drive Tucson's economy, create high-paying jobs, attract investment and improve regional health outcomes.

Conrad Plimpton and Egils Milbergs are the co-founders of Healthy Communities and Wellness Alliance, a Tucson-based nonprofit organization that advances healthcare policy, innovation, access, equity, and cost efficiency .

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