Devices & Diagnostics, Health IT, Hospitals, Startups

Using clinical data to track regional infectious disease activity among Intermountain Foundry ideas

The first four teams have emerged from Intermountain Healthcare’s Foundry program and include physicians, research […]

The first four teams have emerged from Intermountain Healthcare’s Foundry program and include physicians, research scientists and statisticians tackling challenges such as readmissions, chronic heart conditions and cancer treatment. They pitched their ideas at an  Intermountain Foundry Innovation event last month.

The foundry was set up by Healthbox as part of its collaboration with the Utah-based health system.

Healthbox director Amy Len provided a summary of the participants:

Wailua Magnetics, led by Dr. John Doty, developed a device to improve the reliability and efficacy of treating atrial fibrillation, the most common form of heart arrhythmias.

GermWatch, led by Dr. Per Gesteland, uses clinical data and demographics to provide timely information and a visualization of infectious disease activity in a particular region.

MicroEnviron, led by research scientist Pravin Mishra, also included oncologist Dr. Lincoln Nadauld and Gary Stone. It is developing research tools, including a cancer cell growth medium, to more accurately model the human tumor environment, to improve cancer drug screening and development.

SmartPx, led by statistician Benjamin Horne, developed a way to use electronic health record data to predict a heart failure patient’s risk of being readmitted. The goal is to help physicians and other clinicians to effectively prioritize care direct patients to the appropriate care pathway.

Len said Foundry participants were sourced from staff across Intermountain Health system, which includes 22 hospitals. She said it’s in the process of evaluating which companies will get funding to develop their ideas into businesses from the $35 million Intermountain Healthcare Innovation Fund.

 

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