Business Analyst Speaks on Driving Change in Public Healthcare Using AI, Cybersecurity, and Emerging Technologies

By Tosin Clegg

Cynthia Ekechi, a business analyst, has emphasized how artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies drive digital transformation within public healthcare, particularly in modernizing patient care and telehealth service delivery. Her publications focus on practical solutions that help healthcare providers operate more efficiently while protecting patient data.

In a recent interview, Ekechi noted the pressing need for healthcare institutions to adopt secure, automated systems as key enablers to reduce patient wait times, lower administrative burden, and ensure data protection. She explained that technologies such as AI-powered triage and real-time data tracking can improve healthcare decision-making and patient outcomes.

She stated that digital transformation in healthcare is essential due to the growing demand for quality healthcare services. It goes beyond technology adoption and requires updating internal processes, replacing outdated systems, and ensuring medical staff are prepared and equipped to work within digital environments.

Drawing from her contributions to digital initiatives at NHS24, Zustech, and Afriluxe, Ekechi stressed that data protection must be central to any system upgrade. She added that strong cybersecurity controls, including data encryption and secure access protocols, are essential to safeguarding patient records and meeting compliance standards.

“Digital change is not just about tools,” she explained. “It is about preparing people, decommissioning legacy systems, streamlining processes, and helping teams reduce system duplication by adopting smarter workflows.”

Ekechi’s broader focus includes integrating artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and cybersecurity to strengthen digital health infrastructure. She has studied how AI chatbots can support patients in remote care settings, improve service response, and reduce pressure on frontline staff, all without compromising data integrity, compliance, or safety standards.

Her lead-authored paper, “AI-Infused Chatbots for Customer Support: A Cross-Country Evaluation of User Satisfaction in the USA and the UK,” explored the use of AI-driven assistants in enhanced patient interactions and user responses to AI tools in healthcare and related support environments.

In another publication, “The Evolution of Cyber Resilience Frameworks in Network Security: A Conceptual Analysis,” Ekechi and her co-authors called for a shift from traditional cybersecurity models toward resilience and adaptability, particularly in sectors handling sensitive health data.

She also co-authored “Data Sovereignty and Security in Network Engineering: A Conceptual Framework for Compliance,” which proposes strategies for aligning digital health systems with international data protection laws such as GDPR, CCPA , and PIPEDA.

With over nine publications, her work across AI, cybersecurity, and data sovereignty has received more than 400 academic citations, reflecting significant contributions to digital health. Her insights support the growing consensus that digital transformation in public health is necessary and achievable when people, processes, and platforms align. These efforts promote the need for safe, efficient, and compliant digital systems in healthcare.