What You Should Know:
– Sutter Health, a large integrated, not-for-profit health system in California, is pioneering a game-changing initiative that brings advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to mammograms.
– In collaboration with AI governance partner Ferrum Health, Sutter is enhancing early breast cancer detection and increasing access to care for patients, particularly through its state-of-the-art mobile mammography services.
AI-Enhanced Mobile Care for Underserved Communities
The core of Sutter’s latest innovation is the integration of an AI tool into the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center’s 40-foot mobile mammography van. This clinic on wheels brings 3D mammography services directly to women in the East Bay and surrounding areas.
The mobile service is crucial for women facing challenges related to transportation, scheduling, or access to traditional clinic settings. By working with Ferrum Health’s platform to support the safe deployment of this new AI tool, Sutter Health is elevating the standard of care and supporting healthier outcomes for vulnerable populations.
The Ferrum Health platform provides the secure AI infrastructure necessary for deployment, helping optimize performance by standardizing care, accelerating detection, and delivering insights to clinicians and patients alike.
Measurable Impact on Detection and Efficiency
The AI-powered program, which is part of a broader effort by Sutter Health to expand access to AI-driven breast health diagnostics across its system, has already delivered measurable impact across its 60+ imaging sites.
Key results include:
- Improved Detection Rates: Breast cancer detection rates increased from 4.8 to more than 6.0 per 1,000 screenings.
- Reduced False Positives: The program reduced false positives, leading to fewer unnecessary follow-up visits and procedures for patients with apparent abnormalities.
- Targeted Risk Identification: The AI flagged 14% of women as high-risk and 7% as extremely high-risk, enabling earlier intervention.
- Radiologist Efficiency: For 44% of studies, the AI showed no marks, helping radiologists read with greater efficiency and confidence.
“By expanding access and investing in innovation, we’re redefining cancer care from prevention to survivorship, today and for the future,” said Dr. Nitin Rohatgi, medical oncologist and chair of the Breast Cancer Programs of Oncology Distinction at Sutter Health.
