AI technology in major Dublin hospital is ‘life-saving and speeding up' patient diagnosis
The Mater Hospital in Dublin has become the first hospital in Ireland to establish a centre for AI and Digital Health.
Prof Joe Galvin, consultant cardiologist at the Mater said: 'AI has the potential to enhance the accuracy of an electrocardiogram ( ECG) and radiology scan analysis, reducing the time that a patient has to wait for the results of their diagnosis and, if required, starting their treatment sooner.
'If a patient suffers from cardiovascular disease, stroke or cardiac arrest, every minute counts.
'AI's ability to increase accuracy and speed may be life-saving.
'The new hub, which will be based at the Pillar Centre for Transformative Healthcare, will utilise AI to solve clinical problems across the hospital and, through research, develop AI-driven solutions to improve patient care and outcomes.'
Research projects in the hospital include AI-driven automation which will help to identify suitable patients for clinical trials in oncology.
This will significantly reduce the 16 hours per week it currently takes a nurse to manually scan these lists, speeding up patient access to clinical trials.
Another involves the reduction in the number of cardiac fluoroscopy video x-ray images, and subsequently the radiation exposure to both the patients and clinical staff, through real-time AI generated images.
The synthetic spinal imaging project, which has developed a generative AI that can convert lumbar spine CT images into synthetic MRI images for Cauda Equina Syndrome presentations, allowing for better and more robust out-of-hour or emergency care planning and treatment.
A spokesman said the centre's work is already proving invaluable, with AI solutions contributing to the reduction of emergency department waiting times and optimising hospital workflows in the Mater's radiology department.
It is 'assisting in the rapid notification of suspected pathologies, like stroke and fractures, which are being correctly flagged by AI within two to three minutes of the scan being completed, with an accuracy rate of over 90pc'.
Mater Hospital radiologist Prof Peter MacMahon said: 'Our experiences have underscored the tangible benefits of AI, notably in expediting critical diagnoses and reducing turnaround times by rapidly flagging anomalies detected in scans.'
Hospital chief executive Josephine Ryan Leacy pointed out that 'AI in healthcare must be implemented with care, accountability, and a clear focus on improving patient outcome'.
'The Mater Hospital's Centre for AI and Digital Health is focused on ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in a way that prioritises patient safety, transparency and real clinical benefits,' she said.
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