Google Cloud announced today that Mayo Clinic will deploy its generative AI capabilities aimed at improving clinical workflows and facilitate clinicians in finding actionable information to help improve patient outcomes. The collaboration which centers on Google Cloud’s Enterprise Search in Generative AI App Builder—which is now able to support HIPAA compliance—will help gather pertinent information from disparate data sources across the Mayo Clinic enterprise, making it easier to use for clinical decision making.
“Our prioritization of patient safety, privacy, and ethical considerations, means that generative AI can have a significant and positive impact on how we work and deliver healthcare,” said Cris Ross, Mayo Clinic’s CIO. “Google Cloud’s tools have the potential to unlock sources of information that typically aren’t searchable in a conventional manner, or are difficult to access or interpret, from a patient’s complex medical history to their imaging, genomics, and labs. Accessing insights more quickly and easily could drive more cures, create more connections with patients, and transform healthcare.”
Generative AI is a form of artificial intelligence that is capable of generating text, images, and other media created in response to prompts or questions from a user. It represents the next iteration of artificial intelligence, which has been used in healthcare particularly in the analysis of imaging to help detect patterns that may not be discernible to humans, with applications in oncology diagnosis, as well as other applications. With generative AI, data can be reviewed in more sophisticated ways, data can be condensed, and new images created.
“Generative AI has the potential to transform healthcare by enhancing human interactions and automating operations like never before,” said Thomas Kurian, Google Cloud CEO. “Mayo Clinic is a world leader in leveraging AI for good, and they are a critical partner as we identify responsible ways to bring this transformative technology to healthcare.”
Today’s announcement builds on a 10-year strategic partnership between Google Cloud and Mayo Clinic announced in late 2019. At the time, the partnership was touted as the cornerstone of the Mayo Clinic’s digital transformation intended to enable virtual care, enabling the development and deployment of AI-enable digital diagnostics, with additional applications within Mayo’s research.
“Data-driven medical innovation is growing exponentially, and our partnership with Google will help us lead the digital transformation in health care,” said Gianrico Farrugia, MD, president and CEO of Mayo Clinic in 2019 announcing the partnership. “It will empower us to solve some of the most complex medical problems; better anticipate the needs of people we serve; and meet them when, where and how they need us. We will share our knowledge and expertise globally while caring for people locally and always do it with a human touch.”
According to Google Cloud, the use of its AI tools, such as Gen App Builder, can help healthcare organizations improve operations via the automation of repetitive tasks and streamline administrative processes to improve workforce productivity and allow clinicians to spend more time delivering patient care. Mayo Clinic, as well as other healthcare providers, will not only leverage Google Cloud’s generative AI to improve operations, but will provide feedback on its real-world use to allow the company to improve its capabilities.
