Sciling collaborates with Laberit and the regional governments of the Canary Islands and Valencia in an artificial intelligence project to improve healthcare

Sciling collaborates with Laberit and the regional governments of the Canary Islands and Valencia in an artificial intelligence project to improve healthcare

The company specializing in artificial intelligence, Sciling, will be collaborating together with the company Laberit, which specializes in consultancy, development and maintenance of computer systems, in the “Big Data Personalized Medicine” project promoted by the President of the Valencia Regional Government or Generalitat, Ximo Puig, and the President of the Canary Islands Government, Ángel Víctor Torres. This project is part of the FID Salud Programme (Fostering Demand-based Healthcare) from the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN in Spanish), as an instrument to encourage initiatives for Public Procurement in Innovation.

The project aims to improve healthcare through artificial intelligence, Big Data and the digitalization of healthcare, so that patients can receive a more personalized, quality care service. It covers several areas in the sector, but it will focus most resolutely on automatic diagnosis of rare and oncological diseases, which are the most difficult ones to detect and have a higher mortality rate, so that they may be detected and prevented among the populace.

“Big Data Personalized Medicine” will be carried out in two phases. The first, which has already begun, focuses on developing an app to encourage healthy habits without healthcare professionals intervening. Through machine learning and Big Data, artificial intelligence can analyze data on eating habits, physical activities, mental health and other social and consumption habits so as to then analyze medical patterns and advise patients on healthy changes to their routines. The app has been given the name “Cuídat-e” (“Take care of yourself”), and in addition to personalizing patient care, it aims to to decongest primary care consultations and improve citizens’ quality of life.

Cuídat-e

In order to develop the “Cuídat-e” (“Take care of yourself”) app, we can count on collaboration from 14,000 volunteers who will be contributing data to the app for six months, so that the artificial intelligence can begin its machine learning process. This process is based on a computer learning by trial and error, and through large-scale data processing. The data the volunteers will be providing for the app includes their eating habits, physical activity, addictions (alcohol, tobacco, etc.) and their emotional state to ascertain the quality of their mental health. In this area, Sciling will be essential in developing conversational interfaces and analytical-predictive algorithms.

First phase

The first phase is divided into several areas for study. Firstly, there is the ‘cuchara inteligente’ (‘smart spoon’) project, tasked with managing data about nutritional habits. It will also be responsible for proposing more nutritious and healthy diets for patients if it detects habits that may affect the patient’s well-being. Another proposal is called ‘contamos contigo’ (‘we’re counting on you’) and concentrates on physical health, determining whether the person’s mobility is optimal and providing physical exercise routines if not. These proposals are to be personalized for each patient so that they can tackle them according to their own state of health, age and sex.

The third area is ‘sonrisa saludable’ (‘healthy smile’), which can ascertain the patient’s mood and mental health. The app aims to help people who need it to develop a healthy state of mind. As for studying addictions, the area ‘tobacco, alcohol and other addictions’ is also included, analyzing the impact of tobacco, alcohol, drugs or video games.

Lastly, one of the project’s big commitments is ‘mejor en compañía’ (‘better in company’), which is intended to accompany those who find themselves in a situation of unwanted loneliness by providing digital company. This AI will also give advice on adaptation, socialization and help the patient feel understood.

Second phase

The second phase of the project will last ten months and focus on the pathologies that are the most difficult to detect, such as rare, oncological or chronic diseases. In this phase, Sciling will also help create a smart dictaphone that can distinguish the healthcare professional’s questions from the patient’s answers so as to note down everything they say in order to free the doctor from the task of filling in an information sheet.

The joint work by the Governments of Valencia and the Canary Islands, together with the work of public health professionals and Sciling, is intended to bolster economic recovery, automating processes to decongest the public health system, reducing costs and improving the sector. As a result, the population will perceive an improvement in the quality of primary care, which has been criticized in recent years due to the growing lack of resources and slowness of appointments. They will also obtain the tools to improve their habits in life, overcome addictions or feel accompanied if they find themselves alone.