Digital Health bits | September 16th
Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer
AI Algorithm Removes More than Half of Mammography Scans from Radiologist Worklist
This AI tool is designed to work independently, dividing scans between those that need no radiologist assessment and those that require further interpretation.
Radiologists who use a commercially available artificial intelligence (AI) cancer detection tool to divide mammograms into scans that need radiologist assessment and those that do not could drop their workload by more than 50 percent, according to a newly published study.
Researchers from Sweden published results of their study that examines the AI tool as an independent reader on Sept. 1 in The Lancet Digital Health. That ability to assess diagnostic images without the active involvement of a radiologist sets this algorithm apart from other cancer-detection tools designed for mammography.
#DigitalHealth #AI
Pear Therapeutics Announces Data from Two Studies Evaluating Somryst™ for Chronic Insomnia Presented at Virtual SLEEP 2020
Somryst is the first and only FDA-authorized prescription digital therapeutic (PDT) for the treatment of chronic insomnia.
Findings from a large-scale, randomized controlled trial demonstrate that Somryst1 can produce lasting improvements in sleep outcomes among adults with insomnia and depressive symptoms.
A study analyzing user data from Somryst1 found that predicting dropout of individual users early in the intervention is possible, potentially paving the way to help clinicians and PDTs identify those at risk of dropout to provide support for continuing engagement with treatment.
#DigitalHealth #DigitalTherapeutics
New digital tool to improve treatment for people with alcohol addiction
An online system to monitor symptoms and cravings will help combat heavy drinking and alcohol use disorders, which affect about a third of Australian men and a quarter of women at some point in their life.
University of Queensland researchers and Queensland Health practitioners developed the system – known as iAx – which is being evaluated in alcohol and drug units at the Princess Alexandra and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospitals.
Associate Professor Matthew Gullo, from UQ’s National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, said his aim as a clinical psychologist had been to replace paper-based assessment tools with an accessible computerised delivery system designed by practitioners, for practitioners.
#DigitalHealth #DigitalTherapeutics
Birmingham startup, Preventric AI, is developing a smart blood pressure monitor
Preventric AI, a US digital health company, is in the midst of raising funding for their new device, the BPro. Here’s what we know so far.
Preventric’s BPro is a watch-like wearable device that uses an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) to provide healthcare providers with 24/7 consistent blood pressure monitoring. The device itself is FDA-approved and fits easily on anyone’s wrist.
So why is it important? Until now, the traditional way to monitor blood pressure was the inflatable cuff that went around a patient’s arm. While there are mobile versions of the device, they are bulky and slow.
Preventric’s BPro delivers more accurate results, faster than the traditional cuff. Plus, it’s like a watch—easy to use and small enough to fit comfortably on the wrist.
#DigitalHealth
UK Government pledges £50m for AI to improve diagnosis of deadly disease
The UK government has pledged £50 million for further investment in artificial intelligence to improve diagnostics across the NHS.
The investment aims to speed up the diagnosis of deadly diseases like cancer through delivering digital upgrades to pathology and imaging services across the country.
It will scale up the work of the existing Digital Pathology and Imaging AI Centres of Excellence, launched in 2018 to develop cutting-edge digital tools to improve the diagnosis of disease.
The three centres set to receive a share of the funding, based in Coventry, Leeds and London, will deliver digital upgrades to pathology and imaging services across an additional 38 NHS Trusts, benefiting some 26.5 million patients across England, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
It’s hoped the funding will lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis and more personalised treatments for patients, freeing up clinicians’ time and ultimately saving lives.
#DigitalHealth #AI
Funding to assess impact of digital sepsis monitoring system on saving lives
Researchers have been awarded over £800,000 to review the impact of a digital alert system to monitor patients with sepsis at NHS hospitals.
The team will assess the effectiveness of a digital alert system across six UK NHS trusts. The system monitors a range of changes in patients such as temperature, heart rate and glucose levels and alerts doctors and nurses if they fall outside safe parameters so they can investigate further.
The study, funded by NIHR, builds on previous research which showed that the introduction of the digital sepsis alert system at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in 2016 was associated with lower odds of death, shorter hospital stays and increased odds of receiving timely antibiotics.
#DigitalHealth
Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer