GE Healthcare has been awarded a grant of over $44 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding will be used by the Chicago-based company to develop user-friendly, AI-powered ultrasound applications and tools. The aim is to enable healthcare professionals, even those without specialized training in sonography, to produce higher quality imaging exams.
The focus of the project, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, is maternal and fetal care, as well as pediatric lung health. The goal is to improve access to high-quality healthcare in diverse care environments. Ultrasound is a crucial tool for screening and diagnosing various medical conditions, including monitoring the health of expectant mothers and managing respiratory diseases.
Roland Rott, President and CEO of ultrasound at GE Healthcare, stated that while ultrasound is essential, one of its limitations is the need for guidance for lesser-skilled users in effectively applying affordable point-of-care ultrasound. To address this challenge, GE Healthcare’s AI firm Caption Health, which was acquired earlier this year, will design the technology to be used across a range of ultrasound devices and probes.
Maternal and child mortality rates globally remain a critical issue, with nearly 800 women dying every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth in 2020. Additionally, pneumonia is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. Point-of-care ultrasound has the potential to be a valuable tool in addressing these cases.
Following the grant funding, Caption Health will focus on developing multiple lung and obstetric ultrasound algorithms. This is not the first collaboration between Caption Health and the Gates Foundation, as the AI firm previously received a grant in 2020 for the development of lung-related AI technology.
This latest investment from the Gates Foundation will support GE Healthcare in its mission to advance healthcare accessibility and improve outcomes for individuals across the globe.
Sources:
– GE Healthcare:
– www.gehealthcare.com
– Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation:
– www.gatesfoundation.org
