ROS to collaborate on new vertebral fracture project

A new project led by Zebra Medical Vision, in collaboration with The Royal Osteoporosis Society, and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, has won UK government funding for its artificial intelligence (AI) based osteoporotic fracture prevention model.

The Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award is part of the NHS AI Lab, making £140 million available over four years to accelerate the testing and evaluation of artificial intelligence technologies, which meet the aims set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. Zebra Medical Vision was one of the organisations to receive the funding that was announced this week.

The Award aims to increase the impact of AI-driven technologies to help solve clinical and operational challenges across the NHS and care settings. It will speed up the most promising technologies through the regulatory process by building an evidence base to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of AI-driven technologies in health and social care.

With this Award, Zebra Medical Vision, in collaboration with partners including the ROS, will lead on a multi-centre, multi-year study within five diverse NHS sites, evidencing how the AI-enabled vertebral fracture pathway will work in reality to impact patient outcomes.

The ROS, through our Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy, is supporting the project by leading on public and patient involvement. Ensuring that the needs of people living with osteoporosis are at the heart of research, is central to the approach of the Academy, and Patient Advocates played a crucial role in the development and success of the grant proposal.

Representatives from the Academy’s Effectiveness and Technology Working Groups from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge who are involved in the project, show the synergies between the Academy’s Working Groups and the ability to drive forward research collaboratively as we work towards a cure for osteoporosis.

Jill Griffin, Professional Development Lead and Clinical Lead for Vertebral Fractures at the ROS, says:

“As the UK’s only national charity dedicated to bone health and osteoporosis, we are delighted to be a part of this work to address the gap in diagnosing people with vertebral fractures. The benefits of using AI to identify patients, and this being embedded within clinical pathways, will be enormous.

“The fact that patients themselves will then be able to inform how people will interface with these services, further increases the impact that this project will have.”

Zohar Elhanani, CEO of Zebra Medical Vision, says:

“This grant is another milestone in our path towards a fully comprehensive and scalable AI solution for population health domains. This prestigious grant is joining our R&D collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to co-develop AI-enabled osteoporosis prevention services.

“We’re honoured to be chosen by the NHS time after time and are thankful for the opportunity to demonstrate our ground-breaking technology in the areas of vertebral fractures for the benefit of the broader population.”

The AI Award is one of the programmes that make up the NHS AI Lab, led by NHSX and delivered in partnership with the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

About Zebra Medical Vision
Zebra Medical Vision’s AI solutions empower healthcare systems to identify patients at risk of having chronic disease, allowing them to fill treatment gaps and initiate preventative care.

Analyzing millions of clinical images in real time, the AI-based solution detects various medical indications and immediately alerts relevant healthcare stakeholders triggering new care pathways. Zebra Medical Vision’s solutions integrate into existing radiology workflows, including cardiology, bone health, and the world’s first multi-modality triage for Mammograms, CTs, and X-rays.

About NHSX
NHSX is a joint unit of teams from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement, driving forward the digital transformation of health and social care. www.nhsx.nhs.uk

The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) is a unique partnership between patient groups, government bodies, industry and NHS bodies, working together to streamline the adoption of new innovations in healthcare. www.england.nhs.uk/aac

The National Institute for Health and Research (NIHR) provides the people, facilities, and technology that enable research to thrive. www.nihr.ac.uk