Philips’ AI vision for less radiation, improved maternal outcomes, and preventing strokes

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that the global healthcare workforce will be short by 10 million professionals by 2030.

Factors like long working hours, burnout, and inadequate pay have already led to significant strikes with 12,000 junior doctors in South Korea last year alongside 36,000 nurses and healthcare assistants in New Zealand, and more from England’s NHS all joining the protest.

However, research by Deloitte suggests technology could be the answer. It found that tech could free up between 13% and 21% of nurses’ time, translating to 240 to 400 hours per year for a single nurse.

“We can’t do it all by ourselves,” says Atul Gupta, chief medical officer for healthtech vendor Philips. “Technology is here to assist us.”

Speaking to TI, Gupta outlines some of the innovations Philips is working on to address this challenge, but also tech that could save the lives of mothers in Kenya, reduce radiation exposure from X-Rays, and prevent cardiac arrests.

3D GPS of the human body

 

The X-ray has been a cornerstone of medical diagnostics for over a century, playing a crucial role in identifying fractures in countless children and detecting dental cavities in numerous adults.

While the technology has evolved over time, a fundamental limitation persists: continuous exposure to radiation, posing potential risks to both patients and medical professionals.

“X-ray shouldn’t be feared,” says Gupta, “but radiation to humans is bad, and we always want it as low as reasonably achievable.”

While Philips has been in the X-ray business for about a century, too, earning billions, if not trillions of dollars through the technology, Gupta says that the brand is ready to “disrupt itself.”

 

Philips claims that its ‘LumiGuide’ system, described as a ‘3D human GPS,’ enables doctors to perform minimally invasive procedures using Fibre Optic Real Shape (FORS) technology.

Integrating fibre optics into wires and catheters that navigate through the body, this solution also claims to provide real-time, color-coded 3D imaging.

Unlike traditional X-rays, which offer only a two-dimensional perspective, LumiGuide allows medical staff to visualise movement in multiple directions, enhancing precision and reducing reliance on continuous radiation exposure.

According to Gupta, the procedure reduces radiation exposure by 56%.

Now, the technology is used for aortic procedures, but Philips is looking to enable more devices beyond this.

Ultrasound for the heart

 

While Gutpa was initially sceptical of AI, he now believes that the technology is finally living up to its promise.

For instance, performing a cardiac echocardiogram, a procedure used to examine the heart’s valves, is a complex and time-consuming task that requires specialised expertise. Due to its technical nature, only qualified professionals can only conduct it.

However, with a global shortage of trained technologists and physicians capable of performing these examinations, waiting lists continue to grow, further straining healthcare systems worldwide, he says.

 

According to Gutpa because the vendor’s cardiac ultrasound system is fully embedded with AI, a junior technologist can scan a heart, and the system will automatically make the measurements, allowing less experienced operators to produce reliable results.

This not only saves time, he says, but also has the potential to reduce waitlist times, allowing for earlier detection of conditions such as heart failure and valvular disease.

“AI is not only accelerating processes, but it also has the potential to reduce the prevalence of disease in the long run by enabling earlier diagnosis and preventive care,” he adds.

AI-powered ultrasound maternal care

 

According to Gupta, one woman dies every two minutes of bleeding during childbirth, even though it could be entirely preventable, and it’s happening largely in low and middle-income countries such as Kenya.

“The reason this is happening is because there isn’t enough access to ultrasounds,” he explains.

“WHO says that mothers need an ultrasound before 24 weeks. Why? Because then they can see: Where’s the baby? How many do you have? Is it twins? Where’s the placenta?”

Following this process, if mothers are at risk, they can give birth at a location where they are correctly taken care of, and there are no surprises during birth.

“That’s how you can drop maternal haemorrhage and maternal death,” Gupta states.

 

In response to this, Philips, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has developed ‘Lumify,’ a handheld, portable, AI-powered, ultrasound device that’s delivered to areas where traditional medical equipment would be too costly or impractical.

“Not only in places like Kenya, where we’re piloting it, but also in the maternity deserts even in the United States,” says Gupta. “Because access to care is not just a problem in low and middle-income countries.”

According to Gupta, staff in these areas can be trained ‘within minutes’ to use the device, which requires just a few simple abdominal sweeps.

The AI system then automatically detects key indicators, such as the presence of twins, foetal heart rate, and amniotic fluid levels.

ePatch to help prevent strokes

 

Philips is also using AI in its devices to predict and prevent strokes.

For many, atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a condition associated with irregular heartbeats, and while devices such as Apple Watch can detect this condition, they do so intermittently.

Gupta claims that Philips ePatch can continuously monitor for signs of AFib over the course of a month.

Why is this important? AFib is a significant contributor to strokes. When the heart beats irregularly, small clots can form, dislodge, and travel to the brain, resulting in a stroke.

Gupta points out that one in four people over the age of 25 will have a stroke, often due to undiagnosed AFib and he claims that the ePatch, aided by AI can predict AFib with 75% accuracy, helping doctors intervene early.

 

“The ePatch is a small, wearable device that you stick on your chest, and you can bathe and shower and wear it up to about a month,” he explains.

The ePatch is designed to continuously monitor, and, as a result, detect AFib episodes that occur in brief moments, such as during the night when other devices may miss them.

“There was a patient in the Netherlands who had a stroke. He had no atrial fibrillation when diagnosed in the hospital, but after wearing the ePatch, a few days later, it detected AFib, preventing another stroke.”