Manipal Hospitals adopt cognitive computing platform

Manipal Hospitals corporate and teaching facilities will adopt Watson for Oncology, a cognitive computing platform that analyses data to identify evidence-based treatment options, helping oncologists to provide cancer patients with individualised care.

According to doctors from Manipal Hospitals, this year alone, nearly 44,000 oncology research papers have been published.

Clinicians using Watson for Oncology will be able to explore treatment options, analyse information provided, and gather evidence specific to a patients’ individual health needs.
Besides, doctors will have access to peer-reviewed studies, clinical guidelines, and expert perspectives. Over 2,00,000 individuals receive cancer care at Manipal Hospitals facilities each year.

Demand for specialists
Addressing a press conference in the City on Wednesday, Dr Ajay Bakshi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Manipal Hospitals said this could also address the growing demand for specialists today.

“Fewer oncologists and the broad geographic footprint of our region, are challenges that are amplified by rapid advances in personalised medicine, and an ever-growing amount and diversity of clinical evidence.

All these factors compelled us to consider how a technology-based solution could help deliver world-class cancer care to our patients,” he said.

“This engagement represents a major step in the transformation of healthcare in India. With IBM Watson we are bringing cognitive computing to the healthcare ecosystem to help deliver greater value to patients,” Vanitha Nara-yanan, Managing Director of IBM India said.

Based on research led by IBM computer scientists, Watson for Oncology has the ability to read and understand natural language.

Watson for Oncology was developed by IBM in concert with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), one of the world’s leading cancer centres.