Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

43 DATA ANALYTICS & INFORMATICS MUSC launches genomics program to drive precision medicine: 3 details By Hannah Mitchell T he Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is launching a genomic dataset with Helix, a direct-to-con- sumer genomics company, in a partnership that has been dubbed the first of its kind. Three details: 1. For the initiative, named In Our DNA SC, MUSC will use He- lix's Sequence Once, Query Often model and its end-to-end integration platform to enable genetic insights throughout a patient's life, according to a Sept. 20 news release. The col- laboration will also develop a clinical and genomic dataset from patients to help researchers learn more about diseas- es, how to better treat them. 2. Patients will only be eligible to participate in the program at se- lect MUSC locations. Patients must also consent to contributing their genetic data to the dataset, according to the release. The partnership is expected to grow to include other healthcare organizations and MUSC locations, the release said. 3. Helix is also working with AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.) to offer 10,000 Florida residents free DNA tests to study how genomics can help prevent, diagnose and treat diseases. n Mayo, Google develop algorithm to help treat brain injuries, psychiatric illnesses By Hannah Mitchell G oogle and Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic have collaborated on an artificial intelligence algorithm to improve brain stimulation and assist in treating patients with psychiatric illness and direct brain injuries, Onmanorama reported Sept. 6. Three details: 1. The algorithm is called "basis profile curve identification" and aims to help researchers understand which brain regions interact with each other. This guides neurosurgeons with the placement of electrodes for stimulating devices to treat brain disease. 2. The algorithm may help physicians treat patients with epi- lepsy, Parkinson's disease, depression, obsessive compul- sive disorder and more. 3. A patient underwent a brain tumor removal procedure that incorporated the algorithm. An electrocorticographic electrode was placed to locate seizures and map brain functions before the tumor was removed. Each electrode causes as many as thousands of time points that the algorithm then analyzes. n Childbirth complications cost US $825M annually: 3 ways AI can reduce costs, improve care By Hannah Mitchell P hysicians from Stanford (Calif.) University School of Medicine and Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Med- ical Center shared three ways artificial intelligence can be deployed in hospitals to curb maternal mortality in an Aug. 9 Harvard Business Review report. e U.S. has the highest maternal death rate of all high-in- come countries. American women are twice as likely to die from childbirth complications as Canadian and French women. ese statistics are only more pronounced when factoring racial minorities into the mix. Six in 10 maternal deaths are preventable, according to CDC data. Hospitals might be able to use AI to reduce the frequency of complications in childbirth. It can also reduce medical costs because it's three times more expensive to care for a patient experiencing severe maternal morbidity. Various estimates have put the number at around $825 million to several billion annually. ree ways AI could help reduce maternal morbidity: 1. Deploy AI in EHRs to scan for worrisome vital signs. AI can be deployed in EHRs to determine which women are at high risk for childbirth complications. Stanford piloted a program that showed technology can be used in EHRs to scan vital signs and detect risks. A follow-up study found EHRs are more effective at predicting hem- orrhaging than clinicians. 2. Use wearables to track heart rates. Technology can be used to monitor patients during their pregnancies and improve access to routine and specialized care. Many maternal deaths occur outside of the hospital setting. Technology, such as Apple Watches, can be used to monitor cardiovascular health — the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. 3. Use at-home tech to bring specialized care into homes. High-risk patients who deliver babies at low-acuity hospitals have a 50 percent higher risk for maternal morbidity than when delivering at high-acuity hospi- tals. High-risk patients could be referred to different hospitals that have more resources and experience in these complications. Technology can extend high-acuity care to patients who live far away from these hospitals. Studies have demonstrated that patients are more likely to adhere to treatment plans if they are monitored using technology. n

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