Lahore: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare must be used with utmost care as it can provide valuable assistance and reduce time in diagnosis but it can never replace the judgment of trained human specialists, leading healthcare executives, physicians and digital health innovators warned on Saturday.
They cautioned that mistakes made by AI systems could cost lives, making it imperative that technology remains a support tool rather than the final decision-maker.
The warnings came during a session on Digital Transformation and AI at the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Conference organized by the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), where experts also called for establishing national health data standards and patient registries to improve cancer care, diabetes prevention, and overall outcomes.
Dr. Faisal Sultan, former SAPM on Health and CEO of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, said AI is useful in providing logic and knowledge but stressed that final decisions must rest with human professionals. “We’ve been using AI-assisted tools for years, but the human call is final. Technology is an aid, not a replacement,” he said.
Highlighting Shaukat Khanum’s experience with electronic health records, he said EHR allows access to complete clinical, financial, and research records at the click of a button, improving standards of care. He urged the government to create safety standards and ensure inter-hospital data sharing so patients are not forced to “start their story from zero” each time they visit a new facility.
However, he opposed using CNIC as a universal medical record number, arguing that millions without CNICs or B-forms would be excluded from healthcare.
Dr. Zafar Zaidi, Executive Director Medical Services at IHHN, offered Punjab Healthcare Commission their Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) free of charge, recalling that it had been implemented at five public sector hospitals before being withdrawn from IHHN’s management. “Technology for digitizing healthcare already exists locally—we only need the will to adopt and scale it,” he said.
Dr. Zakiuddin Ahmed, CEO Digital Care and Secretary of Health Research Advisory Board (HealthRAB), underscored the need for a National Health Information Exchange in Pakistan—standardized platforms widely used globally to allow hospitals and health systems to share data seamlessly.
He said such exchanges, based on universal data standards, have proven critical in countries like the UAE. He added that HealthRAB had already created several national disease registries in Pakistan and urged learning from international models.
Dr. Shamvil Ashraf, Pediatric Oncologist at IHHN, lamented that survival rates for childhood cancers in Pakistan remain at just 30 percent, compared to much higher figures globally. “We estimate between 8,000 to 10,000 new childhood cancer cases annually, but due to the absence of reliable data, many are never registered.
Lack of records and late referrals contribute directly to poor survival outcomes,” he said, calling for a national childhood cancer registry. He also pointed to high abandonment rates due to financial pressures, which further fuel mortality.
Prof. Abdul Basit, a renowned diabetologist associated with IHHN, presented their “rapid score” tool to improve early detection of diabetes. He deplored that despite the existence of seven national action plans on diabetes and NCDs, none had been implemented. “We have the tools, we have the data, but there is a dearth of clinical research and commitment to execution,” he remarked.
Punjab Healthcare Commission’s Dr. Shafqat Aijaz revealed that with over 4,000 hospitals in the province, efforts are underway to create a universal patient medical record number linked with CNICs, though this drew mixed responses from experts.
Adding a unique perspective, Dr. Masood Javed from PharmEvo cited the Pakistan Air Force’s successful use of AI and human intelligence during “Operation Swift Retort” to down technologically superior Indian aircraft. “It shows that when AI is coupled with human intelligence within a strong ecosystem, breakthroughs are possible even in adverse circumstances. Healthcare can benefit in the same way if balance and caution are maintained,” he observed.
Other experts, including Dr. Falahat Nasir, Dr. Imran Hamid, and Uzma Rizwan, System Director Cancer Services at Hudson Regional Health, echoed the need for digital adoption with safeguards. They stressed that while AI can accelerate research and aid diagnosis, human expertise and ethical oversight must always lead.
Conference chair Prof. Dr. Arshad Taqi concluded that Pakistan urgently needs a comprehensive EHR system on the model of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) during Covid-19, which successfully tracked millions of patients and allocated resources in real time.
“Healthcare without data is blind. AI and EHR together can transform patient care, but only if we build national trust, adopt universal standards, and protect patient privacy,” he said.
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