Exec Director of TTUHSC’s Clinical Research Institute talks AI
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is launching an AI program for clinical trials in partnership with Deep 6 AI. The partnership will integrate AI-powered clinical trial acceleration software into the TTUHSC electronic medical record (EMR) system to improve patients’ access to research.
John Griswold, M.D., executive director of the TTUHSC Clinical Research Institute, spoke with KCBD-TV about the new partnership and how artificial intelligence (AI) will help researchers precision match participants to trials faster and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Griswold is spearheading the implementation of the Deep 6 AI software for TTUHSC. He says, “This particular program helps us look through all the patients that we have and find patients that might benefit from some of the cutting-edge programs and clinical trials we have – cutting edge drugs that they might need for their cancer or their heart failure.”
Watch the interview to learn more about how TTUHSC is using AI to accelerate clinical research.
Video transcript:
KCBD:
… and the frustration if you’re facing an aggressive cancer and there are drugs out there, new drugs or a new device that could help you, but how are you going to get it in Lubbock, Texas? Well, the answer could be artificial intelligence, thanks to a new program soon to be launched through UMC and the Texas Tech University system.
Dr. John Griswold:
It’s a way of looking at large amounts of data and putting it in an organized fashion.
KCBD:
You may know Dr. John Griswold as a burn surgeon. He’s also the Executive Director for the Clinical Research Institute at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. And that’s why he is in charge of implementing a new program that could bring many patients an answer to prayer.
Dr. John Griswold:
This particular program helps us look through all of the patients that we have and find patients that might benefit from some of the cutting-edge programs and clinical trials we have, cutting-edge drugs that they might need for their cancer or their heart failure.
KCBD:
Ordinarily, looking for the right patient who could benefit using a new device or a new drug means searching through paperwork, checking area clinics, and talking to healthcare providers.
Dr. John Griswold:
It’s a very tedious process, and we know we’re missing people who could benefit so much from many of these programs.
KCBD:
But now, Texas Tech is teaming up with a program called Deep 6 AI with HIPAA rules in place that uses artificial intelligence to save time. Because when something new could treat an aggressive cancer, time is precious.
Dr. John Griswold:
The Deep 6 AI will help us look within just a click of a button for patients who might be candidates so that we can approach them and see if they’re interested.
KCBD:
There are already programs out there that can search for coded data, that’s the way each patient’s diagnosis and treatment is documented, but Dr. Griswold says Deep 6 AI goes beyond the code.
Dr. John Griswold:
It searches the coded data and the written word data that the healthcare providers are providing, and pools that all together so we know that we’re not missing a patient that might benefit.
KCBD:
And that he says will be a huge benefit to patients and families throughout the Texas Tech system. The safe and approved therapies will start with clinical trials at UMC, helping patients avoid the long wait they could have faced otherwise.
Dr. John Griswold:
These patients may have to wait seven, 10 years for them to be available. Now, they can participate in these programs and get the benefit of those drugs. And many times, it’s free.
KCBD:
Dr. Griswold says they hope the program will be up and running sometime this fall, but for sure by the end of the year.
