New Study Shows Impact of AI-Powered Communication in Stroke Patients

Viz.ai is sharing new clinical data from the study that indicate the positive impact of the Viz Connect module in improving cryptogenic stroke patient management. The study results have been published in Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology.

The study, “PFO-ACCESS: Augmenting Communications for Medical Care or Closure in the Evaluation of Stroke Patients With Cardiac Shunts,” demonstrated a 5.9x increase in patent foramen ovale (PFO) referrals from neurology to interventional cardiology after using the Viz Connect module. The post-acute stroke solution also reduced the median time from referral to acceptance by one hour and the median time from referral to closure by five days. A PFO is a hole between the heart’s left and right atria that does not necessarily require treatment unless the patient is at risk of a stroke or blood clots. PFO closure totals showed a 186% nonsignificant increase post implementation of the Viz Connect module.

“Many patients with cryptogenic stroke may have an underlying PFO, but systemic inefficiencies have historically led to underdiagnosis and undertreatment,” said Brett Meyer, M.D., co-director, UCSD Stroke Center at University of California San Diego. “This study highlights how AI-powered communication can enhance coordination between stroke and cardiology teams, ultimately leading to more timely and appropriate patient management.”

Viz Connect enables streamlined communication between stroke teams and interventional cardiologists, facilitating earlier identification and intervention for patients who may benefit from PFO closure. PFO closure has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke in randomized controlled trials. Earlier referral to cardiology allows patients to address concerns directly with the cardiology provider earlier, not waiting for the completion of the advanced monitoring and imaging investigation. By integrating care coordination tools, the Viz.ai platform ensures that patients receive timely, specialized care while reducing inefficiencies in traditional referral pathways.

“At Viz.ai, we are dedicated to transforming end-to-end care pathways by enhancing communication and accelerating treatment decisions across multiple service lines,” said Molly Madziva Taitt, Ph.D., vice president of Global Clinical Affairs at Viz.ai. “The results of this study reinforce the power of AI-enabled coordination to improve neurocardiac patient care, ensuring that more people receive the right treatment at the right time.”

Viz.ai uses AI algorithms and machine learning to increase the speed of diagnosis and care across more than 1,700 U.S. and European hospitals and health systems. The AI-powered Viz.ai One is an intelligent care coordination solution that identifies more patients with a suspected disease, informs critical decisions at the point of care, and optimizes care pathways and helps improve outcomes.