Artificial intelligence technology has tripled the number of UK stroke patients recovering enough to carry out daily activities, according to a new study published on Tuesday.
An early analysis of more than 111,000 suspected stroke patients whose care included the technology found it improved outcomes by reducing the time between seeing a doctor and starting treatment by more than 60 minutes.
An analysis of the Brainomix e-Stroke imaging platform found that the percentage able to return to daily activities increased from 16% to 48%.
The technology, developed by UK medtech solutions company Brainomix, is being used across 11 stroke care networks within the UK’s nationally funded National Health Service (NHS) to diagnose strokes and determine the best treatment.
The platform helps doctors interpret brain scans and allows them to share images with specialists around the world who can access them remotely.
“Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform our NHS – delivering faster, more accurate diagnoses and ensuring patients get the treatment they need, when they need it,” Health Secretary Steve Barclay said in a statement.
“Brainomix is an incredible example of how this can be achieved, harnessing the power of AI to reduce life-saving time for one of the most time-sensitive diagnoses in medicine.”
Teaching assistant Carol Wilson said she received prompt diagnosis and treatment thanks to the technology, meaning she could sit up and text her family later in the day.
The grandmother, who has returned to work, said she was “back home two days after the stroke and able to move around”.
More than 85,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year.
Dr. Timothy Ferris, director of transformation at NHS England, said the treatment “is harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence to support specialist staff in delivering life-changing care.”
“Every minute saved during the initial hospital assessment of a person with stroke symptoms can significantly improve the patient’s chances of being discharged in good health,” he said.
Brainomix was launched in 2010 as a spin-off from Oxford University. Its e-stroke platform is now used in more than 330 hospitals in more than 30 countries.