Newswise — April 19, 2023, Edison, NJ — Hackensack Meridian Health, the state’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is partnering with Etta.io., a Denver-based healthcare technology startup that builds Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications to detect tumors difficult to see with the naked eye, even for specialists.
The partnership aims to develop an AI based product/solution utilizing the potential of endoscopic images of the bladder to detect early-stage Carcinoma in situ (CIS). The investment and collaboration is being spearheaded by the health network’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization and the Bear’s Den Innovation Program within the Hackensack Meridian Health Research Institute (HMHRI).
“Hackensack Meridian Health is deeply committed to supporting research and innovation that will help us deliver tomorrow’s cures today,’’ said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health. “We will continue to explore possible advances in AI that can save lives and change lives.’’
“This is a promising use of technology to imminently improve the lives of patients,” said Ihor Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, Hackensack Meridian Health’s president of Academics, Research, and Innovation, who is the founding chair of the HMHRI - and who is also a urologist. “This is the kind of innovative look at improving patient care we want to support, for the benefit of patients.”
“We’re keen on building AI solutions that can be seamlessly delivered into existing clinical workflows, at the point of care, and we’re excited about using AI to do things that can actually augment the intelligence of a specialist,” said Charu Singhal, CEO and founder of Etta.io. “We’re looking forward to expanding upon our existing technology to make this use case clinically viable, so we can help serve patients and prevent the suffering from late diagnoses.”
Nitin Yerram, M.D., Director of Urologic Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center. will be leading the clinical initiative, a partnership brought together by the innovation team at Hackensack Meridian Health as well as their investment board, Bear’s Den. The exploration of translational research between the hospital and Etta.io entails leveraging the hospital’s data, team, clinical workflow, and expertise resources in order to build a clinically viable product that can be dispersed amongst other health systems and support urology teams.
"Carcinoma in situ (CIS) tumors of the bladder are one of the most challenging cancers for urologists to manage," said Dr. Yerram. "CIS tumors have a high rate of recurrence and are traditionally less effective against our standard treatments for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). By using AI technology to help identify and diagnose this difficult cancer, we can expect to advance our field in immeasurable ways."
HMH is a leader in innovation whose Urology Department is ranked #1 in New Jersey. Hackensack’s surgeons were the first in the tri-state area to perform minimally invasive robotic bladder surgery and helped pioneer the single-incision approach. The health system is continuously exploring new technology and tools to advance the care provided to patients.
Etta.io is a healthcare technology startup that builds Artificial Intelligence applications to detect tumors that are difficult to see with the naked eye, even for specialists. The company began as a Dermatology AI company, and plans to include other specialties; the first expansion being Urology. In exploring a partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, the team anticipates building and taking to market, a clinically viable and novel CIS identification software that can integrate into any cystoscope - in any clinic in the world.
ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey.
The network’s notable distinctions include having more U.S. News-ranked hospitals than any other health system in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2022-23. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in four specialties, more than any other hospital in New Jersey. Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center, and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, are ranked #1 in the state and top 20 in the Mid-Atlantic Region by U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-23 Best Children’s Hospital Report. Additionally, their combined nephrology program ranks in the top 50 in the United States. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.
ABOUT ETTA.IO:
Etta.io is a Healthcare Technology company, founded by engineers and physicians, that builds artificial intelligence solutions to help specialists identify tumors and deadly diseases - in real-time and at the point of care. To learn more, visit https://www.etta.io
ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE (HMHRI):
HMHRI leads and organizes a connected ecosystem bringing together clinicians, scientists, and educators to respond to the health problems of our time, in real-time. HMHRI is dedicated to accelerating discovery, innovation, and translation of scientific breakthroughs that address unmet clinical needs.
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