DASH Event
Cafe Scientifique: Reinventing Cardiac Care - An AI-Empowered Paradigm
April 25, 2024, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Join us for an engaging conversation about how AI and your data can transform heart failure and our healthcare system.
Data is increasingly shaping our healthcare landscape. From electronic health records to wearable devices, huge amounts of data are generated every hour, offering insights into individual and community health trends, treatment efficacy, and resource allocation. Analyzing these data can allow healthcare providers to personalize treatments, predict health outcomes, and streamline operations for better patient care. However, realizing this potential will require access to large amounts of personal health information and advanced computational capabilities.
With our clinical and research partners, we are developing artificial intelligence algorithms that can analyze patient heart ultrasounds, or echocardiograms, and detect the presence of heart diseases in real time. The goal of this AI-guided tool is to support primary care so that patients have faster access to the echocardiograms they need to receive tailored healthcare in their own communities.
We extend our warm invitation to all families, healthcare providers, and knowledge keepers from BC’s communities to join us at our public engagement event and share your perspectives, preferences, concerns, and questions related to the development and deployment of AI tools for healthcare. These conversations will guide the practical applications of AI research and how best to implement these advances for the benefit of you, your family, and your community alike.
What is the purpose of this event?
- Demonstrate a novel AI-guided echocardiography tool developed by front line clinicians in partnership with UBC engineering and health authority partners.
- Educate the public about the potential of AI in improving cardiac imaging access, how this could impact rural areas and potentially change heart failure management.
- Encourage collaboration and knowledge exchange between stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community members.
- Gather stakeholder perspectives on the development and use of AI tools in healthcare.
- Facilitate discussions on the ethical and privacy implications of utilizing health data for AI development in healthcare.
What happens next?
- A report will be produced to summarize participant feedback and contributions and will guide the development of future stakeholder engagement, which may include deliberative democracy workshops, focus groups, and surveys.
- A video of event highlights and key messages will be produced to promote our findings to key health sector stakeholders including research and health system funders.
AGENDA
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Reception and Interactive Exhibits Join us for light refreshments and interactive stations where you can share your questions and perspectives on AI in healthcare. |
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM | Introducing the Data Science and Health Initiative and Healthcare AI (Dr. Anita Palepu) Learn how data and analytics are shaping the way we deliver healthcare in BC. |
6:15 PM - 6:45 PM | AI Echocardiography - What Is It and What Can It Do? (Dr. Teresa Tsang) Explore how technology developed in BC can improve cardiac care. |
6:45 PM - 7:00 PM | Impact of AI on Rural Healthcare (Dr. John Pawlovich) Gain an understanding of how advances in technology are transforming health delivery and shaping primary care. |
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM | Interactive Discussions Join the conversation in our breakout groups and exhibits focused on three key themes: using health data to develop AI, community engagement, and rural implementation. Share your thoughts, preferences, and questions, and have a chance to engage with experts in the field. |
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM | Panel Discussion Panelists with expertise in AI, cardiology, rural and primary practice, data access and Indigenous health will answer your questions about healthcare AI, how is is created, used, and what this technology means for you. |
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS & PANELISTS
Terri Aldred, MD
A resident of Prince George, Dr. Terri Aldred is Dakelh from Tl'Azt'En on her mom's side and mixed European and Metis Cree on her dad's side, and a member of the Lysiloo (Frog) Clan. Dr. Aldred is the Medical Director for Primary Care for BC’s First Nations Health Authority, the Site Director for the UBC Indigenous Family Medicine Program, a Family Physician for the Carrier Sekani Family Services Primary Care team, and the Indigenous Lead for the Rural Coordination Centre of BC.
Through her various roles she leads initiatives on cultural safety and humility. She is an avid speaker about Indigenous Health, Cultural Safety and Humility, and anti-Indigenous racism.
Elizabeth Kinney, LLM
Elizabeth Kinney is the Senior Manager of Learning Applications at the UBC LT Hub, where she leads the development and implementation of innovative learning technologies for the university.
She is an advocate for data sharing and health technology, not only as a professional but also as a patient living with multiple chronic conditions, such as type 1 diabetes and hyperthyroidism.
Anita Palepu, MD
Dr. Anita Palepu is Head of the Department of Medicine and Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at UBC. She is the Physician Program Director for the St. Paul’s Hospital Medicine Program and works as a General Internist.
Dr. Palepu has a research program that falls under the broad umbrella of urban health research, with particular interest in vulnerable populations such as homeless persons and drug users.
John Pawlovich, MD
Dr. John Pawlovich is a clinical professor in the department of family practice and is the Rural Doctors’ UBC Chair in Rural Health. Also the medical director for Carrier Sekani Family Services, he provides medical care to several Indigenous communities, including Takla Landing located approximately 400 km north of Prince George.
Dr. Pawlovich’s body of work has positioned him to advance the activities of the Rural Doctors’ UBC Chair in Rural Health.
Teresa Tsang, MD
Dr. Teresa Tsang is a professor and Associate Head, Research in the Department of Medicine. She is also Director of Echocardiography at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and UBC Hospital. She has been has been appointed Executive Director, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) and Associate Dean, Research (VCHRI), Faculty of Medicine at UBC.
As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Tsang’s research focuses on using large health datasets to advance patient care and strengthen health care delivery.
MODERATOR
Philip Edgcumbe, MD, PhD
Dr. Philip Edgcumbe is a UBC radiology resident, an entrepreneur, a biomedical engineer and a clinician-scientist. He speaks on the topics of disruptive technology and the future of healthcare.
Dr. Edgcumbe has invented, patented, and licensed an augmented-reality navigational aid for surgical robotics and has co-founded two biomedical start-up companies.
SESSION FACILITATORS (TBA)
Zsuzsanna Hollander, PhD
Dr. Zsuzsanna Hollander has 15 years of experience in clinical research, data mining and management, and database development. At Genome BC her main role is to implement the organization’s Data Science strategy. As part of this, she leads various projects in data management, data governance, and information processes.
She is a passionate leader driven to advance human health and wellness by maximizing the value derived from data through data management and data science.
Larry Mroz, PhD
Dr. Larry Mroz is currently Patient-Oriented Research Capacity Development Lead for the BC SUPPORT Unit (Support for People and Patient-Oriented Research and Trials) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Part of Michael Smith Health Research BC (formerly Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research).
He did a post-doctoral fellowship on food practices of men with prostate cancer in the UK, workplace health promotion and advance care planning for men with prostate cancer. Dr. Mroz is interested in Patient engagement in health research.
Ricky Hu, MASc, MD
Ricky is a resident physician in Internal Medicine at the University of British Columbia. His work includes developing innovations with machine learning, computer vision, robotics, electronic fabrication, 3D CAD design/printing, applied physics and math.
As an advocate for ethical and informed use of AI, he has also taught fundamentals of AI to over 300 medical students, residents, and healthcare professionals.