'Artificial Intelligence in Surgery - Superpower or Peril?' will be the theme as surgeons from South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory gather in the Barossa Valley for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' (RACS) Annual Scientific Meeting.
The event will take place from 25-27 August and will be held at the Novotel Resort, which will be the meeting place for approximately 100 Fellows, Trainees and Associates, who will take part in a number of compelling presentations and discussions.
RACS South Australia Chair, Associate Professor Amal Abou-Hamden, said that the conference will provide a unique opportunity to explore the current use of artificial intelligence in surgery. This includes the future of its integration in surgical practice, as well as an analysis of what has been learnt from the implementation of past innovations.
"Change and Innovation are not new for surgery, however we have the responsibility to ensure that rapid technological change is implemented within an ethical, transparent and robust regulatory framework to ensure best patient care and safety," Associate Professor Abou-Hamden said.
"Artificial Intelligence and other computer-aided technologies are transforming our surgical practice by augmenting human intelligence, with the potential to replace the traditional 'human' techniques in many surgical disciplines. Changes of this magnitude can be disruptive and daunting, and they can also be revolutionary. Machine learning has the potential to enhance the safety and quality of our patient care.
"As the theme of the conference indicates, we will discuss how these latest advancements can transform our profession and healthcare delivery, and what are the pitfalls that we should be aware of".
Highlights of the conference include;
- A presentation from South Australia's Chief Scientist, Professor Caroline McMillen AO, who will discuss Machine Learning and advanced technological applications.
- A presentation by the South Australia Health Minister, the Hon. Chris Picton on 'Securing a technologically advanced workforce for South Australia'.
- The Sir Henry Windsor Lecture will be delivered by Emeritus Professor Bill Gibson AO, founder and past director of The Sydney Cochlear Implant Centres (SCIC); recently, rebranded as Nextsense Cochlear Implant Centres.
- Several presentations by specialists and trainees from across the surgical specialties and Health Networks, AIML (Australian Institute of Machine Learning) and related specialties on the current state and the future of artificial intelligence including its effects on health systems and databases, surgical training, robotics and surgical practice.
- An exploration of the links between artificial intelligence in surgery and local industry.
- The Sir Henry Newland Award will be presented to distinguished South Australian surgeon, Dr Tim Proudman.
