VIJAYAWADA: The State government’s ambitious experiment with AI-based medical services in public hospitals has yielded significant results, as per Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav.
He said under AP MedTech Innovation Challenge, 18 start-ups were selected from 297 applicants and deployed across government hospitals to pilot innovations in four categories: diagnostic tools, portable point-of-care devices, smart monitoring wearables, and remote telemedicine solutions.
During a 37-day trial, start-ups served 12,677 patients, enabling early TB detection, identification of eye diseases, cancer risk, neonatal issues and cardiac irregularities. AI scribes cut consultation time by 70%. The government will award Rs 1 crore to the top start-up, with incentives totalling Rs 40 lakh for others. A committee from IISc, ICMR and AIG will evaluate results.
The Minister emphasised that this is the first time in India that multiple start-ups have simultaneously piloted AI-driven healthcare in government hospitals. He credited Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for enabling the initiative and confirmed plans to expand AI services across hospitals, making healthcare more accessible, efficient, and patient-centric.
The upcoming conference will share findings with medical officers, students, faculty, and national health agencies, including the National Health Authority, India AI Mission, IIT Kanpur, and e-Health Startup India, ensuring wider awareness and adoption of AI innovations in healthcare delivery.
This initiative, officials said, marks a turning point in integrating technology, transparency, and patient-focused innovation into Andhra Pradesh’s public health system.