OU Health Brings Applied Artificial Intelligence to Stroke Care in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY -- As a leader in stroke care, OU Health is bringing the first computer-aided triage system approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Comprehensive Stroke Center at OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

The new technology promises significantly improved health outcomes by accelerating diagnosis and treatment after an individual with a suspected stroke arrives at the center. The software uses a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) system that automatically analyzes computed tomography scans for suspected large vessel occlusions (LVOs). An LVO is a type of ischemic stroke that occurs when a large artery in the brain is blocked.

Synchronizing the AI-powered imaging analysis with a real-time communication platform though a phone app, a more optimized workflow is possible, ensuring the right patient is seen by the most appropriate specialist without delay.

“When a patient arrives with a suspected stroke, two things are of critical importance — coordination and time,” said Evgeny Sidorov, M.D., Ph.D., director of OU Health’s Comprehensive Stroke Center. “This new AI-backed technology allows our team to collaborate together in real time to make the diagnosis and develop the treatment plan quicker.”

This stroke care platform will allow University of Oklahoma Medical Center to further enhance the power of its stroke care team through faster detection and notification of suspected LVO strokes and beyond. Further, it will allow care teams to securely communicate to achieve synchronized care and determine the optimal patient treatment decision.

“This platform can potentially save critical minutes, even hours, in the triage, diagnosis and treatment of strokes,” said Hakeem Shakir, M.D., a neurosurgeon with OU Health’s Comprehensive Stroke Center. “It will change the trajectory of how we care for patients, saving lives and improving outcomes.”

The OU Health Comprehensive Stroke Center offers the highest level of stroke care, setting high goals for administration of IV tPA within 30 minutes, and for endovascular thrombectomy within 60 minutes of patient arrival.

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OU HEALTH UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA MEDICAL CENTER

OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center is the only comprehensive academic hospital in Oklahoma, offering the widest range of medical and surgical services in the region. Serving as Oklahoma’s only Level I trauma center, the hospital is a multi-state resource for every aspect of injury prevention and treatment. University of Oklahoma Medical Center offers the highest level of care for stroke patients, providing unmatched neurology and neurosurgery services, and is home to Oklahoma’s most experienced organ transplant team. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and University of Oklahoma Medical Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. Working alongside Stephenson Cancer Center, the hospital is home to the state’s only comprehensive bone marrow transplant center and more radiation therapy options than any hospital in Oklahoma. From advanced cardiac care to orthopedic services and more, University of Oklahoma Medical Center patients benefit from healthcare based on the latest research and advances in medicine. For more information, visit ouhealth.com.

OU HEALTH

OU Health is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. The flagship academic healthcare system is the clinical partner of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, one of the most comprehensive academic and research campuses in the country. With 10,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma’s largest doctor network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma’s flagship hospital, which serves as the state’s only Level 1 trauma center. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. OU Health also was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health’s mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com.