Latest news with #ChrisTomlinson
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AI to forecast health interventions based on nationwide NHS data
A new AI model will be trained on a large set of NHS data in hopes of identifying early interventions for patient care. The generative AI model, called Foresight, is being trained on de-identified data from 57 million people in England as part of a pilot study conducted by University College London (UCL) and King's College London (KCL). De-identified data is data in which personal information has been stripped away, meaning it is not possible to link back to an individual, ensuring privacy. Access to the data is within the NHS England Secure Data Environment (SDE), a secure data and research analysis platform. The model is being trained on routinely collected NHS data such as hospital admissions and Covid-19 vaccination rates. The model could make predictions about health outcomes across all demographics and for rare conditions due to the size of the dataset and its coverage of England's population. The researchers also aim to harness the model to address health inequalities, analysing risks and outcomes at the population level. UCL Institute of Health Informatics' Dr Chris Tomlinson, who is serving as lead researcher of the study, said: 'AI models are only as good as the data on which they're trained. So, if we want a model that can benefit all patients, with all conditions, then the AI needs to have seen that during training. "Using national-scale data allows us to represent the kaleidoscopic diversity of England's population, particularly for minority groups and rare diseases, which are often excluded from research.' Foresight comes at a time of increased focus on digital technology to level up healthcare in the UK by the government. The Health Data Research Service, a tool that simplifies access to health data to accelerate research, was launched in April 2025. Partnered with the Wellcome Trust, the government has pledged up to £600m to enhance the use of NHS data on a national scale. UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has touted the importance of harnessing NHS data since entering office in July 2024. In November, he remarked at a conference that citizens should 'view their data in the same way they view their taxes'. In a statement following Foresight's announcement, Streeting said: 'I'm determined that we use this kind of groundbreaking technology to cut down on unnecessary hospital trips, speed up diagnosis times, and free up staff time. 'AI will be central as we bring our analogue NHS into the digital age to deliver faster and smarter care across the country.' "AI to forecast health interventions based on nationwide NHS data" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AI model being trained with NHS data from 57m people ‘could predict disease'
An artificial intelligence (AI) model is being trained using NHS data from 57 million people in England in the hope it could predict disease and complications before they happen. The world-first study, led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and King's College London (KCL), could help 'unlock a healthcare revolution', officials said. The model, know as Foresight, uses similar technology to ChatGPT but rather than predicting the next sentence it predicts future health conditions based on a patient's medical history. As part of the pilot, it will be trained using eight routinely collected datasets from across England, including hospital admissions, A&E attendances and Covid-19 vaccination rates, which have been stripped of personal information. Dr Chris Tomlinson, of UCL, said: 'Foresight is a really exciting step towards being able to predict disease and complications before they happen, giving us a window to intervene and enabling shift towards more preventative healthcare at scale. 'And to give a practical example of what that actually looks like, we could use Foresight to look across the whole population and predict the risk of, for example, unscheduled hospitalisation. 'This is a really significant event that often heralds deterioration in the patient's health but can occur from a variety of different causes, and also has a major resource implication on the health service. 'We can then use Foresight to understand the drivers for that deterioration, and potentially suggest personalising opportunities for intervention so that might include, for example, optimising medications to improve blood pressure control and reduce the risk of, say, stroke.' Foresight is currently restricted to Covid-19-related research. Dr Tomlinson added: 'We're looking at predicting Covid-19 outcomes – which may help us inform the next pandemic – but we're also testing the model's ability to generalise to other important healthcare outcomes, such as predicting the risk of hospitalisation or death in the next year, as well as the onset of over 1,000 different conditions. 'Ultimately, we'd like to increase the depth and capability of Foresight by including richer sources of data – information like physicians' notes and the results of investigations such as blood tests or scans.' The pilot study will operate within NHS England's Secure Data Environment, which will provide access to de-personalised records with patient data remaining under strict NHS control.
Western Telegraph
06-05-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
AI model being trained with NHS data from 57m people ‘could predict disease'
The world-first study, led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and King's College London (KCL), could help 'unlock a healthcare revolution', officials said. The model, know as Foresight, uses similar technology to ChatGPT but rather than predicting the next sentence it predicts future health conditions based on a patient's medical history. Foresight is really exciting step towards being able to predict disease and complications before they happen, giving us a window to intervene and enabling shift towards more preventative healthcare at scale Dr Chris Tomlinson, UCL As part of the pilot, it will be trained using eight routinely collected datasets from across England, including hospital admissions, A&E attendances and Covid-19 vaccination rates, which have been stripped of personal information. Dr Chris Tomlinson, of UCL, said: 'Foresight is a really exciting step towards being able to predict disease and complications before they happen, giving us a window to intervene and enabling shift towards more preventative healthcare at scale. 'And to give a practical example of what that actually looks like, we could use Foresight to look across the whole population and predict the risk of, for example, unscheduled hospitalisation. 'This is a really significant event that often heralds deterioration in the patient's health but can occur from a variety of different causes, and also has a major resource implication on the health service. 'We can then use Foresight to understand the drivers for that deterioration, and potentially suggest personalising opportunities for intervention so that might include, for example, optimising medications to improve blood pressure control and reduce the risk of, say, stroke.' Foresight is currently restricted to Covid-19-related research. Dr Tomlinson added: 'We're looking at predicting Covid-19 outcomes – which may help us inform the next pandemic – but we're also testing the model's ability to generalise to other important healthcare outcomes, such as predicting the risk of hospitalisation or death in the next year, as well as the onset of over 1,000 different conditions. 'Ultimately, we'd like to increase the depth and capability of Foresight by including richer sources of data – information like physicians' notes and the results of investigations such as blood tests or scans.' The pilot study will operate within NHS England's Secure Data Environment, which will provide access to de-personalised records with patient data remaining under strict NHS control. An unrelenting focus on privacy and security, means people can rest assured that their data is in safe hands Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle Dr Vin Diwakar, national director of transformation at NHS England, said: 'The NHS Secure Data Environment has been fundamental to this pioneering research, shaping a future where earlier treatments and interventions are targeted to those who will benefit, preventing future ill health. 'This will boost our ability to move quickly towards personalised, preventative care.' Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle added: 'This ambitious research shows how AI, paired with the NHS's wealth of secure and anonymised data, is set to unlock a healthcare revolution. 'This technology is transforming what's possible in tackling a host of debilitating diseases, from diagnosis, to treatment, to prevention. 'This is work that that will be instrumental to this Government's missions to overhaul healthcare and grow the economy, which sit at the heart of our Plan for Change. 'And an unrelenting focus on privacy and security means people can rest assured that their data is in safe hands.' The new pilot comes after a study, published in the Lancet Digital Health in March 2024, found Foresight was able to predict the type of health conditions a patient is likely to develop in the future. Professor Richard Dobson, deputy director of the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre and another lead researcher at KCL and UCL, added: 'This pilot is building on previous research that demonstrated Foresight's ability to predict health trajectories from data from two NHS trusts. 'To be able to use it in a national setting is very exciting as it will potentially demonstrate more powerful predictions that can inform services nationally and locally.'
Associated Press
18-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
OptimumBank Achieves SBA Preferred Lender Status
Fort Lauderdale, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - February 18, 2025) - OptimumBank (NYSE American: OPHC) proudly announces that it has been designated as a Preferred Lender under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Preferred Lenders Program (PLP). This prestigious designation, the highest recognition an SBA lender can receive, streamlines the SBA loan approval process for OptimumBank, allowing the Bank to better serve small businesses across Florida and beyond. Under the Preferred Lenders Program, OptimumBank is now authorized to make final credit decisions on behalf of the SBA. This significantly accelerates the loan approval timeline and enhances the Bank's ability to provide flexible financing solutions to small business owners. SBA 7(a) loans, which can be used for working capital, equipment purchases, commercial real estate, and other business needs, are available in amounts up to $5 million with favorable terms and competitive interest rates. 'Achieving Preferred Lender status is a significant milestone for OptimumBank. This designation demonstrates our deep commitment to helping small businesses grow and thrive,' said Tim Terry, CEO of OptimumBank. 'With this enhanced capability, we can expedite the financing process, enabling entrepreneurs to seize opportunities quickly and achieve their goals.' As a community-focused financial institution, OptimumBank understands that every small business has unique financial needs. 'Everyone deserves access to financing that is right for their business. Our Preferred Lender status opens up more opportunities for us to meet borrowers where they are and provide financing solutions that truly fit their circumstances,' said Moishe Gubin, Chairman of the Board of OptimumBank. 'This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering business owners with the right tools to succeed.' Chris Tomlinson, Senior Vice President and SBA Director at OptimumBank, added, 'Our SBA lending team is dedicated to understanding each client's individual goals and crafting lending solutions that align with their vision. The Preferred Lender status gives us the autonomy to approve SBA loans more efficiently, ensuring that small businesses can access the funding they need without unnecessary delays.' The SBA Preferred Lenders Program is designed for high-volume, experienced SBA lenders that have demonstrated a proven track record of success. It grants participating banks the authority to approve, close, service, and liquidate SBA-guaranteed loans, streamlining the process for business owners seeking capital. For more information about OptimumBank's SBA lending solutions or to apply for an SBA loan, please contact Chris Tomlinson at [email protected] or visit About OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. OptimumBank was founded in 2000 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Our customers found a bank that is strongly service oriented with reasonable fees, unseen at larger financial institutions. OptimumBank has seen explosive growth this decade, and we look to capitalize on our momentum in the coming months and years ahead. The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. To learn more, visit
