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GKNM Hospital Launches Coimbatore's First Healthcare AI Centre of Excellence

SimpliCity News Team · 28 days ago

GKNM Hospital has launched its Centre of Excellence in Healthcare AI, described as the first such centre established by a hospital in Coimbatore. The centre has been established in association with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and TANUH (Translational AI for Networked Universal Healthcare), a healthcare artificial intelligence programme funded by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

The centre was inaugurated at an event at GKNM Hospital in the presence of Dr. Manoj Murhekar, Director of the ICMR National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, who was the chief guest. GKNM Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ragupathy Veluswamy, Chief Medical Officer Dr. G. Manoharan, TANUH Chief Operating Officer Dr. Rahul Singh, GKNM Hospital Director of Research Dr. K. Mathan and Principal Research Scientist Pavithra Ramanath were among the dignitaries present.

The centre will undertake six research projects using healthcare AI to explore ways of identifying diseases earlier among Indian patients. The projects include AI-assisted analysis of mammograms to support the early detection of breast cancer and research into identifying women at risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Another project, being undertaken with IISc's brain research centre, will contribute to the development of a brain foundation model based on Indian brain data, with potential applications for research into stroke, dementia and other neurological conditions. A separate project will examine whether retinal photographs can help identify vascular disease at an early stage by analysing blood vessels visible in the retina.

The centre will also undertake research into the early identification of kidney disease by combining routine ultrasound examinations with blood tests. Another project will assess an existing international kidney risk score among Indian patients and work towards adapting it to the Indian population.

Dr. Ragupathy Veluswamy said the projects are research studies and not products being introduced directly into clinical practice. He said each project would undergo review by the hospital's Institutional Ethics Committee and that patient data would be handled in accordance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

He also emphasised that no AI tool would be allowed to influence patient treatment until it had undergone prospective testing and peer review, adding that the technology would be intended to support clinical judgement rather than replace it.

GKNM Hospital Healthcare AI Coimbatore IISc Bengaluru TANUH Medical Research Artificial Intelligence Early Disease Detection Digital Healthcare Cancer Research

GKNM Hospital Launches Coimbatore's First Healthcare AI Centre of Excellence

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