The Unity Health AI team began developing Chartwatch in 2017 after staff suggested that predicting deaths or serious illness could benefit from machine learning, leading to several years of rigorous development and testing before its deployment in October 2020. (Source: Image by RR)

Chartwatch AI System Alerts Hospital Staff to Risks Sooner, Reducing Preventable Deaths

A study conducted at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto revealed that the use of an AI-based early warning system, Chartwatch, has reduced unexpected deaths by 26%. Developed by the Unity Health Toronto AI team, Chartwatch monitors patients’ medical data, such as vital signs and lab results, and provides real-time predictions about potential health deteriorations. The AI system is designed to flag high-risk patients earlier, allowing nurses and doctors to intervene before conditions worsen, significantly improving patient outcomes.

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, analyzed over 13,000 patient admissions and showed the significant impact of Chartwatch in reducing unexpected deaths. The AI system, as noted in cbc.ca, was implemented in 2020 after years of development and testing. According to Dr. Amol Verma, a clinician-scientist at St. Michael’s, the technology scans around 100 inputs from each patient’s medical records and generates hourly predictions of potential health declines, assisting clinical teams in making timely decisions.

Despite its success, the researchers noted that Chartwatch’s impact needs to be tested in other hospitals before it can be used more widely. While the AI tool has proven highly effective in St. Michael’s internal medicine unit, it has not yet been implemented across the entire hospital or in other facilities. Researchers are also mindful of patient privacy concerns when using AI in healthcare, and further studies are necessary to understand its effectiveness in different hospital settings.

AI tools like Chartwatch have immense potential to revolutionize healthcare by helping to mitigate staff shortages and improve patient care. Unity Health is working to expand the technology through Canada’s largest hospital data-sharing network, GEMINI, which involves more than 30 hospitals across Ontario. The success of Chartwatch at St. Michael’s could pave the way for broader adoption of AI systems in hospitals to improve patient outcomes and reduce preventable deaths.

read more at cbc.ca