Breaking Barriers: How Northwell Health's AI Innovations Are Transforming Healthcare
Published on: March 10, 2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a game-changer in various industries, particularly in medicine. Northwell Health, New York's largest health care system, is at the forefront of integrating AI to revolutionize patient care and augment the capabilities of physicians.
Physicians at Northwell Health are employing AI to assist in detecting pulmonary embolisms and pancreatic cancers, diagnosing diseases, and improving colonoscopy screenings. This technological advancement is significantly enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of medical diagnoses.
A notable innovation in use at Northwell is an AI-powered headband developed by Ceribell, designed to better detect seizures. Dr. Richard Stumacher, chief medical officer at Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital, emphasized the device's impact, stating, "This AI device allows us to treat the patient in the moment and changes our ability to provide care."
Ceribell's FDA-cleared medical device features a head strap with 10 electrodes and AI technology to detect seizure activity. It provides immediate bedside alerts for seizure detection, connecting with a portable electroencephalogram (EEG) recorder and a web portal for tracking.
Traditional EEG tests can take hours to detect brain abnormalities, whereas Ceribell delivers results in just six minutes. This rapid response is critical in intensive care units, where silent seizures, not externally visible, are common.
Dr. Mangala Narasimhan, director of critical care services at Northwell Health, highlighted the importance of quickly detecting and treating such seizures, especially in ICU settings. Ceribell's efficiency in identifying seizures that are not apparent externally is particularly valuable.
The impact of this AI technology was evident in a recent case at Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital, where a patient with an altered mental state was quickly diagnosed and treated for a high seizure burden using the Ceribell device. The timely intervention enabled the patient to recover without the need for more invasive treatments.
Ceribell's AI technology not only enhances the speed and accuracy of medical responses but also reduces the overall strain on healthcare resources. By facilitating immediate medication management and treatment verification, it minimizes the need for patient transfers, thereby keeping care localized and reducing the burden on healthcare staff and facilities.
The device is also user-friendly, requiring minimal training for operation. This accessibility allows any staff member in the ICU to administer the test, further streamlining the process of patient care.