AI Beyond the Buzzword: A Practical Discussion of AI in Medicine

This session will provide the fundamentals on how AI works and its real-world applications in medicine today – from enhancing diagnostic imaging to reducing administrative workloads.  This will include an exploration of why high-quality data is the essential engine for AI and how Nova Scotia’s data modernization strategy is building the foundation for future innovation. Participants will have the opportunity to examine the future of AI in healthcare, including its potential in predictive analytics, eliminating documentation with generative AI, and enabling personalized medicine. Discussion will be led around the practical steps NS physicians can take to become ‘AI-ready’ and their vital role in guiding the safe and effective integration of these powerful new tools.

Dr. Matthew Clarke is an Emergency Physician in Central Zone and the Associate Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) for NS Health and IWK Health. In these roles, he has a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the system. He leads digital health projects with a core mission: to empower patients and providers by using technology to help people better manage their health and navigate our complex system. When he’s not working, his time is usually spent with his wife and their five young children, usually on a bike trail, at a campsite or at the rink.