Aligning the stars: partnering in the age of Augmented Intelligence

At MedTech World Middle East recently in Dubai, Dr. Amel Havkic, founder of EvoMed Consulting and a lung specialist, shared his insights on the future of healthcare innovation.

He created the StarMap framework to guide medtech solutions from concept to real-world clinical adoption—a response to the frustrating reality that many technically sound innovations fail. By emphasising clinical alignment, patient safety, and seamless integration into workflows, StarMap helps bridge the gap between technology and practice.

In an interview with HealthTechAsia, Dr. Amel discusses how this approach can foster responsible innovation in healthcare AI, offering a roadmap for solutions that truly make a difference.

Healthcare, Dr. Amel explains, is a system defined by complexity. “There’s a lot of little bits and bolts that work together to deliver care to patients,” he says. “Now, wherever you have a system that complex, the moment you introduce something new, you’re probably introducing friction—and friction can lead to failure.”

As the digitalisation lead at his hospital, Dr. Amel has seen these challenges firsthand. Implementing tools like ICU management systems improves care overall but risks disrupting established workflows. That cautious approach, he argues, explains why healthcare remains one of the last industries to embrace large-scale technological disruption. Safety is paramount, and any change, no matter how promising, carries risks.

Yet another barrier is structural. “In Germany, the healthcare system is essentially split between hospital care and out-of-hospital care,” he explains. “Out-of-hospital care has a monopoly, and stakeholders defend it fiercely. This system was created during the Weimar Republic. It’s essentially a 19th-century model in a modern world.”

Augmented Intelligence: Humans and AI in partnership

The inherent inertia is why innovations often fail to reach patients. Even giant tech companies have struggled: Microsoft HealthVault, Google Health, and Apple’s healthcare initiatives all faced difficulties. “It’s not an industry; it’s a system,” Dr. Amel stresses. “Industry thinking won’t work. You need to co-create solutions with the people delivering care.”

This is where his StarMap framework comes in. Designed to bridge technology and practice, it prioritises alignment among all stakeholders—clinicians, management, regulators, and patients. Dr. Amel stresses the importance of human judgment: “Augmented intelligence should co-exist with human expertise. We can’t just take doctors out of the system; their knowledge is critical, and it doubles every 73 days. We need to ensure that technology supports them rather than replaces them.”

Co-creation, he explains, means starting with real clinical problems. Innovations should solve actual needs rather than being driven purely by funding or technological excitement. “If development just follows the money, it will rarely reach clinical adoption,” he says. He cites AI scribes as an example. Despite being regulatory-approved, they sometimes misunderstand context, such as misinterpreting a patient’s description of symptoms. A successful solution, he insists, requires clinical grounding from the outset.

It also requires a broad view of stakeholders. Hospitals include nurses, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, and administrative personnel. Beyond that, regulators and state bodies oversee public health outcomes. Aligning their incentives is essential. Dr. Amel points to Germany’s Health Innovation Fund as an example: projects were first diagnosed for need, funded, and then evaluated for impact. “You need cooperation and a shared understanding that healthcare exists to serve the patient, not to make someone look good politically or financially,” he says.

This alignment is an ongoing process. Resources are finite, and doctors often seek more staff or equipment to solve problems. Management, on the other hand, must balance costs. Dr. Amel describes a pragmatic approach: piloting equipment to generate early results that demonstrate value before requesting full investment. “It’s a continuous learning cycle,” he notes. “You have to step back, understand other perspectives, and align your objectives with theirs.”

AI as Jarvis: Enhancing human judgement, not replacing it

While the principles are rooted in healthcare, Dr. Amel believes they are universal. The StarMap framework—built from literature research, healthcare-specific regulatory insights, and practical trial-and-error experience—can guide innovation across industries. Its core is evidence-based, with layers tailored for each field, from medtech innovators to investors. “The underlying principles are universal,” he says. “What changes is the specific application and regulation.”

The human element remains central. While patients cannot always participate directly in co-creation due to knowledge asymmetry—what Dr. Amel calls the principal-agent problem—technology can empower them to engage meaningfully. Tools that provide structured information, along with a human advocate, can give patients the ability to prepare for consultations, share relevant details, and interact effectively with healthcare professionals.

In practice, this looks like centralised dashboards or portals where patients submit symptoms or data, which is then interpreted both for them and for clinicians. “AI can guide decisions, but it cannot replace human judgment,” he says. “The goal is to support the conversation, not dictate it.” Patients in his private practice often arrive with structured lists generated with AI assistance, allowing for more productive consultations, particularly for rare or complex diseases.

Dr. Amel likens AI to a tool like Jarvis in Iron Man: a helpful assistant that provides guidance, while the human remains in control. “Radiologists, for example, benefit from AI’s recognition skills, but interpretation must still be human-led,” he explains. “AI supports decisions; it doesn’t replace them.”

Accountability, he argues, should be shared. Patients have responsibility for their own care, doctors for clinical decisions, and companies for the technology they provide. “If accountability is spread appropriately, no one bears the entire burden, and decisions become more balanced,” he says. “It’s a form of system homeostasis—like a natural balance that keeps everything in check.”

Regulators also play a key role, particularly in shaping incentives. Too stringent, and they stifle innovation; too lax, and patient safety is jeopardised. Dr. Amel advocates a measured approach: incremental improvements rather than disruptive leaps, using real-world data to guide safe adoption. “Trust is built by showing you anticipate potential issues and address them proactively,” he explains. “It’s about communication, not just pitching an idea.”

Underlying all of this is a human-centric philosophy. Dr. Amel stresses that doctors’ communication skills, empathy, and judgement cannot be supplanted by machines. AI should enhance these abilities, not replace them. “We need to nurture human expertise, because it is what ultimately drives patient care,” he says. By embracing his role as a clinician rather than a consultant, Dr. Amel found that his approach resonated more deeply with colleagues, stakeholders, and patients alike.

Looking ahead, Dr. Amel is optimistic about AI in healthcare. “The system’s inertia puts guardrails in place that keep technology safe,” he says. “As long as AI aids decisions without taking control, it will enhance care. The system, the clinicians, and the patients will adapt together.”

For innovators, the takeaway is clear: success requires alignment, co-creation, and a relentless focus on the human experience. The StarMap framework offers a structured way to navigate the complexity of healthcare, ensuring that innovation benefits patients while respecting the intricate web of stakeholders who deliver care. As Dr. Amel concludes, “Healthcare isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. Keep humans at the heart, and the technology will follow.”