B.C. government is testing out AI tools for rapid disease diagnosis

Provincial labs in B.C. are testing out artificial intelligence and new digital tools for more rapid disease diagnosis, including cancer. B.C. Minister of Health Adrian Dix speaks during an announcement for a kidney hemodialysis unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey, B.C., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

VANCOUVER - Provincial labs in B.C. are testing out artificial intelligence for more rapid disease diagnosis, including cancer.

The province says in a statement that the new digital tools will allow researchers to 鈥渟ecurely share high-quality images鈥 in other B.C. locations, helping them to perform a faster diagnoses or get a second opinion.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the innovative digital tools have the potential to 鈥渞evolutionize health care鈥 and can save more lives.

The statement says the federal government's Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada and the province are investing $2.65 million to support three projects, which will help reshape how pathology services are delivered in B.C.

Northern Health Authority, Vancouver General Hospital, BC Cancer-Vancouver Centre and St. Paul鈥檚 Hospital will test out the digital tools, in what the province says will be a benefit for health delivery in rural and remote areas.

The B.C. government says there are more than 4,200 publicly funded diagnostic tests available in B.C., which result in more than 96 million tests annually that need to be diagnosed.

This report by 春色直播was first published July, 15, 2024.

The 春色直播 Press. All rights reserved.

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