Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1020287
40 CIO / HEALTH IT Harvard, UPenn researchers use AI to predict mortality for cancer patients By Jessica Kim Cohen A new algorithm may accurately pre- dict whether cancer patients starting chemotherapy will still be alive aer a month of treatment, according to a study published in JAMA. A team of researchers from Boston-based Harvard Medical School and Philadel- phia-based Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania developed the algorithm using machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence in which a computer learns over time as opposed to being pro- grammed like typical soware. To train the algorithm, the researchers ob- tained EHR data from nearly 27,000 patients who received chemotherapy at the Dana-Far- ber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston between 2004 and 2014. ey also collected the patients' dates of death using Social Security data. From there, the researchers validated the algorithm using information from a sepa- rate dataset of 9,114 patients whose diag- noses included breast, colorectal and lung cancers. e algorithm correctly predicted 30-day mortality for all the patients in the validation set, across primary cancers, stages and che- motherapies. e same algorithm also per- formed well when predicting 180-day mor- tality, according to the study authors. In their conclusion, the study authors noted that although the algorithm accurately pre- dicted short-term mortality among patients starting chemotherapy during the study, fur- ther research is needed to determine the fea- sibility of applying it to the clinical setting. n Google, Accenture launch business group to help healthcare clients transition to cloud By Jessica Kim Cohen G oogle Cloud and management consulting firm Ac- centure teamed up on a new venture to help com- panies implement services from Google Cloud. The Accenture Google Cloud Business Group's July 25 launch focuses on the healthcare, consumer packaged goods and retail industries. As part of the partnership, Google Cloud and Accenture plan to develop a range of data-driven solutions, such as business processes that leverage artificial intelligence and services to help organi- zations migrate their workloads to the cloud. The business group comprises a team of specialists from both companies who will collaborate to develop cross-in- dustry solutions for clients in North America, Europe and Japan. Accenture, which already has an estimated 1,000 practitioners trained on Google Cloud technologies, in- tends to more than double that figure in fiscal year 2019. Under the agreement, Accenture's existing Google Cloud Center of Excellence will become part of the business group. "We're making a significant commitment to our clients and investment with Google Cloud to provide intelligent solu- tions that enterprises need to solve today's greatest busi- ness challenges and become the new leaders in digital," Gene Reznik, senior managing director of ecosystems and ventures at Accenture, said in the firm's news release. n Columbia University, IBM launch blockchain center to drive precision medicine research By Jessica Kim Cohen I BM and New York City-based Columbia University re- vealed plans for a new research and education center focused on blockchain technology and data transpar- ency July 17. The Columbia-IBM Center for Blockchain and Data Trans- parency in New York City will bring together experts from academic, scientific, business and government backgrounds to conduct research, advise on regulations and support startups related to blockchain applications, among other priorities. One of the center's initial projects will focus on securely bringing together various data sources to gain insight into precision medicine, according to IBM's statement. A steering committee composed of Columbia University faculty and IBM Research scientists and business leaders will lead the center. "With Columbia, we are able to bring together leading thinkers on applying blockchain and data best practices based on extensive research and business experience and together prepare a new generation of technologists and business leaders," Arvind Krishna, PhD, senior vice presi- dent of hybrid cloud and director of IBM Research, said in the company's statement. The center will release a call for curriculum development, business initiative and research program proposals later this year. n