Tag: Healthcare

  • Accenture Acquires Alfahealth to Advance AI-Powered Healthcare in Italy

    Accenture Acquires Alfahealth to Advance AI-Powered Healthcare in Italy

    Accenture has announced its agreement to acquire Alfahealth, an Italian digital health technology company, in a move that underscores the growing importance of artificial intelligence in healthcare. The acquisition aims to strengthen Accenture’s capabilities in delivering AI-driven, data-secure, and personalized care across Italy’s healthcare system.

    Alfahealth brings over two decades of experience in developing digital health platforms that support patient journeys, clinical workflows, diagnostics, and administrative operations. By integrating Alfahealth’s technology with Accenture’s expertise in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data analytics, healthcare organizations will gain access to more intelligent and connected systems. These systems can unify data from hospitals, clinics, community providers, and public institutions, enabling advanced AI applications such as predictive analytics, automated workflow optimization, and real-time clinical insights.

    Teodoro Lio, Market Unit Lead for Accenture in Italy, emphasized the strategic timing: “Italy is at a pivotal moment in the transformation of its healthcare system, with growing investments in digital health, interoperability, and new models of care.” He added that the combination will help healthcare providers accelerate innovation, improve care delivery, and enable more connected, data-driven experiences for all Italians.

    The acquisition also adds approximately 1,200 healthcare specialists to Accenture’s team, bolstering its ability to deliver large-scale transformation initiatives. As healthcare systems face pressure from aging populations and rising demand, AI-driven automation and decision support are becoming essential. This deal positions Accenture to help Italy move toward predictive, preventive, and personalized care models, leveraging AI for earlier disease detection, optimized resource allocation, and enhanced patient engagement.

  • Mount Sinai Uses AI to Detect Pregnancy Risks Earlier, From Preconception to Ultrasound

    Mount Sinai Uses AI to Detect Pregnancy Risks Earlier, From Preconception to Ultrasound

    Mount Sinai, a leading US teaching hospital, is pioneering artificial intelligence tools to identify pregnancy risks much earlier in the care pathway. The work targets two critical stages: before conception for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) and during routine mid-trimester scans for congenital heart defects (CHD). Both conditions carry high morbidity and require intensive resources.

    At the 2026 SMFM Annual Pregnancy Meeting, Mount Sinai specialists presented an AI-assisted workflow for detecting severe CHD from fetal ultrasound and machine learning models that predict PAS risk using preconception electronic medical record (EMR) data. The research also incorporates social vulnerability, gun violence exposure, and labor management signals, pointing toward a more comprehensive, data-informed approach to pregnancy care.

    In a case-control study of 118,890 deliveries from 2013 to 2023, PAS occurred in 0.23% of cases but posed severe maternal morbidity and mortality risks. The AI identified anemia before pregnancy as a previously unrecognized risk factor. Because anemia is potentially modifiable, health systems could intervene through nutritional support, consults, or preconception counseling, aiming to reduce emergency deliveries and enable planned care at specialized hospitals.

    The team trained multiple machine learning models on pre-pregnancy EMR data. An XGBoost model achieved an area under the ROC curve of 0.86, outperforming logistic regression at 0.76. Random forest provided the highest sensitivity at 91%, while logistic regression achieved 91% specificity, highlighting trade-offs between catching more cases and triggering fewer false alarms.

    On the imaging side, Mount Sinai West deployed BrightHeart software to enhance fetal ultrasound screening for major CHD. In a study of 200 second-trimester ultrasounds from 11 medical centers across two countries, AI assistance raised detection of major CHD to over 97%, cut reading time by 18%, and increased reader confidence by 19%. The technology is now being evaluated in a real-world prenatal diagnostic center, flagging suspicious findings within standard screening workflows.

    Mount Sinai emphasizes rigorous validation on diverse populations, careful stewardship of large datasets, and continuous monitoring for bias. The institution calls for clear clinical sponsorship with metrics tied to morbidity, cost, and workflow, along with a deliberate plan to scale from single-center pilots to system-wide decision support. By pairing EMR-driven preconception risk prediction for PAS with AI-augmented fetal cardiac imaging, Mount Sinai is redefining when and how pregnancy risk is identified, offering tangible gains in accuracy, efficiency, and care planning.

  • Pangaea Data and Sanofi Use AI to Detect Rare Disease Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

    Pangaea Data and Sanofi Use AI to Detect Rare Disease Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

    Pangaea Data, a provider of guideline-configured AI solutions, has partnered with Sanofi to deploy machine learning algorithms that analyze electronic health record (EHR) data. The collaboration aims to identify patients with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) earlier, addressing the chronic underdiagnosis of this rare genetic disorder across the United States.

    Research indicates that up to 90% of individuals with AATD remain undiagnosed, often waiting five to eight years for confirmation after symptoms appear. The AI platform processes real-time clinical data, including structured fields and unstructured physician notes, to flag patients who may need further evaluation without adding administrative burden.

    “We are pleased to support the deployment of innovative solutions like Pangaea’s platform that can help not only identify patients in need of evaluation earlier using real-time, real world data that remains securely within the health system, but also address workflow challenges,” said Lisa Sniderman King, Senior Director, Scientific Affairs and Diagnostics, US Medical at Sanofi.

    The technology integrates with existing EHR systems, scheduling tools, and communication platforms, delivering insights directly into clinical workflows. Population health dashboards further enable health system leaders to spot care gaps and ensure guideline adherence.

    While the initial focus is on AATD, both companies envision broader applications for respiratory and rare diseases such as severe asthma and COPD. Dr. Vibhor Gupta, CEO and Founder of Pangaea Data, commented, “We are excited to work with Sanofi beginning with AATD while advancing a broader vision for scalable, guideline-configured AI that can help scale earlier detection, screening and management across chronic and rare hard-to-diagnose conditions.”