A Fierce Medtech White Paper

Johannesburg, South Africa – March 2024- As a leader in Medical Technology innovation, InterSystems, a pioneer in healthcare data platform development, has learned, understood, and incorporated pivotal insights from its extensive experience in digital health solutions. That experience points up the need to give AI a strong foundation.

We understand the importance of leveraging AI to drive transformative change in healthcare. Our latest white paper, "Getting the Most from AI in MedTech Takes Data Know-How," dives into the challenges and opportunities facing MedTech companies venturing into the realm of AI. From data cleanliness to privacy and security considerations, we address key issues that MedTech companies must navigate to succeed in today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

AI in MedTech Takes Data Know-How

The promise of AI in revolutionising MedTech is undeniable. AI in varying forms and degrees is forecasted to save hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars a year. But here's the catch- AI models are only as good as the data they're built on. An AI application can sift through large amounts of data from various Electronic Health Record (EHR) environments and legacy systems and identify patterns within the scope of its model, but it can't identify data that exists outside of those boundaries.

If one asks, 'What risk factors does the patient have for stroke?' AI can only answer based on the information that's there. Sometimes, things get lost in translation, and that's why interoperability – the ability to exchange information in a way that ensures the sender and receiver understand data the same way is crucial.

InterSystems: Your Data Sherpa:

Ever wondered why some AI models in MedTech fall short? It's all about the data. This means MedTech companies can’t just lean on their currently used standard but should consider all those in which relevant data is captured in the market or build on a platform that does.

With InterSystems by your side, you gain access to a treasure trove of healthcare data expertise. One of the benefits of our business is that it's much broader than a single EHR. This means providing software solutions like The HL7® FHIR® (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) offering a comprehensive view of patient data, accelerating development timelines, and delivering tangible results that showcase the value of your innovations.

Clean Data Is a Must

Data cleanliness is key in the world of AI. Pulling data from various sources presents its own set of challenges, from ensuring data cleanliness to reconciling discrepancies and omissions. Raw data is often messy, inconsistent, and filled with gaps like missing labels. If the data fed into an AI model is incomplete and error-ridden, the conclusions drawn from its analysis will be similarly flawed and suspect. Thus, maintaining high standards of data quality is essential to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of AI-driven insights.

Henry Adams, Country Manager, InterSystems South Africa, says: “InterSystems advocates for robust preprocessing, cleaning, and labelling techniques to ensure data quality and integrity. Our platform keeps track of data lineage, simplifies labelling, and aggregates health data into a single, patient-centric model ready for analysis”.

Privacy, Security, and Reliability: The Sweet Success!

Privacy and security are essential across industries, but they are even more critical for MedTech product developers. Handling sensitive patient data necessitates strict adherence to regulations like HIPAA and GDPR to safeguard patient confidentiality and comply with legal requirements. Beyond regulatory compliance, ensuring privacy and security is crucial for maintaining patient safety, preserving reputation and trust, and fostering collaboration within the industry.

To help MedTech companies comply with regulations and safeguard patient data, InterSystems’ platform meets needs across major deployments, such as a nonprofit health data network and uses techniques like redundant processing and queues built into the connective tissue of their software. Reliable connectivity solutions ensure seamless data exchange, even in the most demanding healthcare environments.

Charting the Course Forward

If you are a MedTech company still struggling to make sense of siloed healthcare data for your AI initiatives? We have the answers-collaboration with the right partner is essential for integrating AI into medical practices. An ideal partner understands the need for data acquisition, aggregation, cleaning, privacy, and security regulations. “With InterSystems as your partner and by your side, you can navigate the complexities of AI integration and drive transformative innovation in healthcare, making MedTech excellence easier to attain”, ends Adam.

You can learn more about our support for MedTech innovation at InterSystems.com/MedTech.

For more information or to download the guide, please visit!  

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Media contact:
Mpho Moemi
Anti-Clockwise Consulting
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