Behold.ai & Apollo Hospitals to rapidly deploy COVID-19 diagnosis

Behold.ai has partnered with Apollo Hospitals Group, India, for the world’s largest deployment of rapid COVID-19 diagnosis using AI-based chest X-ray technology.

The UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) radiology company, today announced its partnership with Apollo Radiology International, part of the Apollo Hospitals Group and a leading provider of interpretative and other clinical radiological services, on a pilot programme using Behold.ai’s ‘instant triage’ AI-based chest X-ray technology to quickly triage suspected COVID-19 patients. This ‘instant triage’ will boost India’s efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by potentially speeding up diagnosis and ensuring proper allocation of resources.

Behold.ai will supply its red dot® algorithm via Apollo Radiology International to Apollo Hospitals’ network of 71 hospitals in India, comprising 12,000 beds. The algorithm will also be deployed in some local government-run hospitals in India as part of the pilot programme making it the world’s largest deployment of a radiology-based AI diagnostic solution for COVID-19. The service is expected to go live when the lockdown measures are eased by the government of India.

The red dot® algorithm is able to diagnose chext X-rays as ‘normal’ or abnormal in 30 seconds. This ‘instant triage’ offers clear benefits over conventional human-read processes when time is of the essence. Behold.ai was recently issued with what is believed to be the world’s first CE Mark Class IIa certification for diagnosis in the UK and Europe for its red dot® algorithm. The technology has also been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and commercial rollout in the US is planned for later this year.

“Working with a leading hospital provider like Apollo Hospitals is an important milestone for a UK company in the global AI marketplace. We continue to work to make our AI-based technology available in countries around the world,” said behold.ai’s Chairman and Chief Executive Simon Rasalingham. “Our technology has been proven to rapidly diagnose chest X-rays as ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ accurately, potentially allowing for faster diagnosis of individuals with COVID-19 and the better management of resources in healthcare systems already stretched by the increase in hospital admissions. If successful, this infinitely scaleable pilot programme could make a significant difference to hospitals across India and the rest of the world struggling to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 in India. Our comprehensive and integrated COVID-19 response plan called Project Kavach has brought together all the resources of Apollo Hospitals against this pandemic. The use of AI has been a critical part of this plan and our AI-powered BOT helped individuals to assess their risk of contracting coronavirus. We look forward to working with Behold.ai to further enhance and accelerate our radiology reporting for COVID-19 patients. This will help us evaluate patients with speed and accuracy,” said Dr Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.

“Radiology reporting for COVID-19 has to be easily accessible, quick and accurate so that immediate decisions can be made on the next steps. To achieve these goals, Apollo Radiology International is setting up a dedicated centralised COVID-19 reporting service. Behold.ai’s chest X-ray algorithm will be an important component of this service. The instant triage provided by this algorithm will be a key factor that will allow our radiologists to provide immediate reports for these patients,” said Dr Sreenivasa Raju Kalidindi, CEO, Apollo Radiology International.

About behold.ai and radiology

behold.ai provides artificial intelligence, through its red dot® cognitive computing platform, to radiology departments. This technology augments the expertise of radiologists to enable them to report with greater clinical accuracy, faster and more safely than they could before. This revolutionary combination helps to deliver greater performance in radiology reporting at a fraction of the price of outsourced reporting.

Radiology departments play an essential role in the diagnostic process; however, a consequence of fewer radiologists and a growing demand for images has left services stretched beyond capacity across many trusts, resulting in reporting delays – in some cases impacting cancer diagnosis. These service issues have been highlighted by the Care Quality Commission and the Royal College of Radiologists.

Behold’s solution seamlessly integrates into local trust workflows augmenting clinical practice and delivering state-of-the-art, safe, Artificial Intelligence.

The behold.ai algorithm has been developed using more than 30,000 example images, all of which have been reviewed and reported by highly experienced consultant radiology clinicians in order to shape accurate decision making. The red dot® prioritisation platform is capable of sorting images into normal and abnormal categories in less than 30 seconds post image acquisition.

About behold.ai and quality

behold.ai has been issued with a CE mark Class IIa certification in the UK and Europe. It has also received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its red dot® algorithm ‘instant triage’ system in relation to the life-threatening condition of pneumothorax (collapsed lung).

In June 2019 behold.ai was awarded ISO 13485 QMS certification for an AI medical device – the ‘gold standard’ of quality certification.

For further information visit https://behold.ai/

About Apollo Hospitals

It was in 1983, that Dr. Prathap C Reddy made a pioneering endeavour by launching India’s first corporate hospital – Apollo Hospitals in Chennai.

Now, as Asia’s foremost trusted integrated healthcare group, its presence includes over 12,000 beds across 72 Hospitals, 3,400 Pharmacies, over 90 Primary Care clinics and 150 Diagnostic centers, 110 plus Telemedicine Centres, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials, epidemiological studies, stem cell & genetic research. Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefront of new medical advancements with the most recent investment being the commissioning of South East Asia’s very first Proton Therapy Centre in Chennai.

Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives in its mission to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. In a rare honour, the Government of India has issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo’s contribution, the first for a healthcare organisation. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010.

For 35 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Its hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals in India for advanced medical services.