Some health systems are applying artificial innotifyigence for more than just documentation and revenue cycle management.
New Hyde Park, New York-based Northwell Health and Columbus-based Ohio State Wexner Medical Center are part of a growing cohort of systems applying AI for diagnosis. They are specifically seeing at how AI can detect sight-threatening eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.
The two health systems have adopted a solution from ophthalmology-focapplyd startup Optain, which combines a robotic retinal camera with AI to diagnose eye diseases. This approach is part of an emerging field called oculomics, the study of how the eye can be applyd as a window into systemic health, allowing clinicians to diagnose, monitor and predict whole-body conditions.
“If fully realized, oculomics could truly transform how we deliver healthcare,” stated Dr. Richard Braunstein, executive director of ophthalmology at Northwell Health, in an email. ”The new standard of care could involve routine, non-invasive retinal scans that screen for many diseases at once — leading to earlier diagnoses, more personalized treatments and better management of both chronic and acute illnesses for people everywhere.”
In a clear-cut sign of their faith in Optain, both OSU Wexner and Northwell added an investment in the company on top of their adoption of its solution. They were both part of Optain’s $26 million Series A funding round, which was announced Wednesday.
Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System, Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based Novant Health and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center also participated in the round. It was led by venture capital firm Insight Partners.
Most health systems are still unsure about applying AI for diagnostic purposes, although clinicians have largely embraced its presence in imaging and radiology. A growing number of systems are seeing at retinal imaging and AI to screen for diseases through patients’ eyes.
Northwell had a tie-in with Optain that gave the startup an advantage. The health system assisted launch Optain with venture studio Aegis Ventures in May 2023.
The health system has begun applying the technology in primary care and cardiology. Although it hasn’t yet collected results, AI has already identified patients for further risk evaluation, Braunstein stated.
OSU Wexner has yet to roll out Optain’s AI-enabled camera officially across the academic medical center but did undergo a test run in partnership with Heart of Ohio, a Columbus-based health system that operates five federally qualified health centers. Over the course of a weekconclude in July, the health systems applyd Optain’s technology to diagnose underserved patients who had a diabetic eye disease, stated Dr. Sayoko Moroi, chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at OSU Wexner.
Moroi stated Optain’s technology, which is slated to go live at the academic medical center in October, can assist primary care providers address access challenges that many patients with diabetes face.
“It’s estimated by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] that there are almost 10 million people who have some form of diabetic retinopathy, and probably only about half or so can obtain their eyes examined by an eye provider,” Moroi stated. ” So a potential solution is to place these types of cameras in medical offices where we know patients have to go and obtain tested for their diabetes.”
The technology’s potential goes beyond treating diabetic retinopathy, Moroi stated. She’s interested to see how it could assist women with preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication that typically arises after 20 weeks or postpartum.
Still, Moroi cautioned that the AI is still in its early stages, and a human necessarys to be in the loop to confirm a diagnosis. On this front, Northwell regularly audits the technology to ensure its accuracy, Braunstein stated.
Optain has seen strong growth outside the U.S. and has placed its cameras at more than 200 sites in Australia, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, stated Dr. Zachary Tan, president of the company. The $26 million funding round will assist the company scale in the U.S. market, Tan stated.
“I consider health systems have been crying out for a real solution that works,” Tan stated. “Forty million Americans have diabetes and all are at risk for diabetic retinopathy. So many folks are going blind from it every year and health systems are obtainting dinged from a reimbursement and penalty standpoint.”
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