US Government Backs Two New Medical AI Systems

The US Government, specifically the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), has announced that it will fund the use of two new artificial intelligence systems to aid doctors in diagnosing medical issues. These new systems are designed to alert doctors to potential stroke victims and to help catch a diabetic complication before it results in blindness.

These two systems, cleared by the FDA in 2018, were already in use by medical providers prior to this announcement, but the new CMS authorization means that more providers will utilize the technology, as it is now billable for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Additionally, given that some insurers follow the CMS when it comes to wether or not they will cover the cost of a procedure or technology, this is good new for AI in the medical field.

Image via Digital Diagnostics.

The two AI-based tools serve to improve patient outcome, and can do so extremely quickly. For example, IDx-DR, a diagnostic system designed to help doctors diagnose diabetic retinopathy, requires as few as 30 seconds to provide its AI-driven diagnosis, without the need for a human specialist’s intervention. Given that upwards of 60,000 people lose their sight due to this disorder every year, a 30-second test administered by a technician stands to help thousands retain heir vision every year.

Similarly, Viz.ai’s Synchronized Stoke Care tools speed stroke diagnosis and access to treatment in patients by as much as 350%, or over an hour, by using machine learning to visualize and alert doctors to potential large vessel occlusion stokes. The reduction in waiting time allows doctors to triage quickly in emergent situations, resulting in improved patient outcomes and better access to care.

Check out our blog post for more on medical AI.