Philips program developing AI-powered ultrasound to expand access to maternal health receives major funding boost
November 07 2023 - 9:00AM
Philips program developing AI-powered ultrasound to expand access
to maternal health receives major funding boost
November 7, 2023
- Total investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
reaches USD 60 million, accelerating expansion of new AI-guided
ultrasound capabilities on Philips Lumify Handheld Ultrasound
- Innovation helps address worldwide shortage of healthcare
workers by putting diagnostic tool previously reserved for expert
technicians in the hands of midwives
Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips
(NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today
announced it has received a second round of funding from the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate global adoption of AI
algorithms on Philips Lumify Handheld Ultrasound. By using AI to
simplify key measurements to identify abnormalities during
pregnancy, training time to use the ultrasound system can be
reduced from weeks to just hours, hugely expanding the pool of
frontline health workers who can learn to use the technology and
integrate it into routine care.
Results since the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided
its first phase of grant funding in 2021 have shown a positive
impact in Kenya where the technology has helped drive
better-informed decision-making when triaging pregnant women in
rural underserved communities. The new phase of funding will
support the deployment of the AI-assisted tool to underserved
communities globally.
Each day, nearly 800 women around the world die from preventable
causes related to pregnancy and childbirth [1], with nearly 95% of
all maternal deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income
countries in 2020. Care provided by skilled health professionals
before, during and after childbirth can help save the lives of
women and newborns worldwide [1].
New AI-guided algorithms
assist in risk-based triagingThe World
Health Organization recommends at least one ultrasound scan before
24 weeks of gestation for pregnant women to evaluate gestational
age and improve detection of fetal abnormalities with greater
confidence [2]. With this latest development, Philips Lumify
Handheld Ultrasound will be the first point-of-care ultrasound
(POCUS) device to be introduced commercially to assist non-expert
users by automating image acquisition or image interpretation for a
comprehensive set of obstetrics measurements, increasing quality
access to early fetal ultrasound scans.“Ultrasound is the first
tool of choice to scan pregnant women, but it also requires
training to understand how to scan properly and correctly in order
to make the right image interpretations,” said Jeff Cohen, General
Manager of Ultrasound at Philips. “By supporting front-line
healthcare workers such as midwives to identify potential problems
in pregnancy at an early stage, we aim to significantly reduce the
number of women who die because of pregnancy. During this next
phase, working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we
will bring this innovation as a commercial offering to the market
to help increase quality access to care and improve maternal health
in underserved and rural communities in developed and developing
countries worldwide.”
“One of our key areas of focus is to build partnerships that
bring together resources, expertise, and vision – working with
organizations around the world to identify issues, find answers,
and drive change,” said Dr. Rasa Izadnegahdar, Director, Maternal,
Newborn and Child Health Discovery & Tools at the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. “A critical goal of our work at the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation is to bring health technology to
underserved areas of the world to help prevent women from dying in
childbirth – an issue that is critical in high-income countries
like the US and UK as well.”
Prototype results show increased confidence for
midwives During a trial period in Kenya, feedback on the
new tool has shown positive impact. Thanks to digitalization,
informatics, and AI, interpretation of the images is not required
by the operator. Weeks of training for midwives have been reduced
to hours, without negatively affecting confidence in triage.
Expectant moms also find it comforting to know how their baby is
progressing. Depending on the results, patients can be referred to
a credentialed sonographer for image review and further
investigation if needed.
“With this disruptive technology, we are introducing a new way
of ultrasound scanning where midwives and non-expert users are
guided by the algorithm to give them access to critical information
they need most when triaging pregnant women in underserved areas,
and rural settings,” said Matthijs Groot Wassink, General Manager
for Point of Care and Obstetric Ultrasound at Philips. “The
prototype identifies six critical parameters for high-risk
assessments to help improve the health of both mom and baby, such
as gestational age and placenta location. With the automated AI
capabilities built into Philips Lumify, frontline workers can
identify abnormalities earlier, helping to increase confidence and
comfort of the mother in any decisions or care pathways she decides
to pursue or not.”
Philips’ leadership in Ultrasound worldwide
Philips Ultrasound systems installed around the world perform an
estimated 1.33 billion diagnostic and interventional procedures
each year. With this latest AI-enabled POCUS prototype, Philips
continues its commitment to deliver industry-first innovations in
areas such as 3D imaging of the heart, AI-powered quantification
tools, and ultra-mobile portable ultrasound solutions. Visit
Philips Ultrasound for more information on the latest
innovations in cardiology, general imaging and point-of-care OB/GYN
ultrasound solutions.
More information on the program can be found in this FAQ.
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality[2] https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549912
For further information, please contact:
Kathy O’ReillyPhilips Global Press OfficeTel.: +1 978 221
8919E-Mail: kathy.oreilly@philips.com
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health
technology company focused on improving people's health and
well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and
people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep
clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions
for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare
providers and their patients in the hospital and the home.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in
diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring
and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips
generated 2022 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately
71,500 employees with sales and services in more than 100
countries. News about Philips can be found at
www.philips.com/newscenter.
- Training underway with new AI-driven ultrasound-based
technology prototype
- Healthcare professional using Lumify ultrasound prototype to
perform a health check
- Initial feedback from the trial in Kenya shows positive
feedback on the new solution
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