Google Cloud and German healthcare company Bayer said Tuesday they are building an artificial intelligence-based platform to help radiologists diagnose patients and process cases faster.
The platform's generative AI flags abnormalities in images for radiologists to view, and can also pull relevant information from the patient's medical history, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian told CNBC. For example, when a patient comes in for an annual breast cancer screening, the platform can detect current problems, compare the image to previous screenings and summarize that information, he said.
Healthcare companies like Bayer can use the platform to develop radiology-specific applications that perform such functions more easily, Google said.
A radiologist is a doctor who uses medical images such as CT scans, MRIs and X-rays to detect and treat medical conditions. But like physicians in many specialties across the U.S., radiologists are facing a growing workforce shortage, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. As of early April, there were more than 1,800 open job postings on the American College of Radiology website, compared to about 220 job postings in April 2014.
Many radiologists are also struggling with burnout as the population ages and easier access to imaging technologies has led to increasing caseloads. Google Cloud said its new platform can help alleviate these ongoing workforce challenges.
“This entire process flow is designed to help radiologists do their job faster with help,” Kurian said in an interview. “It makes them more efficient so they can actually see more images and care for more patients.”
Kurian said the platform does not replace radiologists as the doctor still retains “sole control” over the recommendation they make. Instead, he wants people to view the platform as a tool, like a microscope. The goal is to easily provide radiologists with the information they need and save them from spending 15 to 20 minutes searching through patient records, Kurian said.
Google Cloud and Bayer aren't the only companies exploring AI applications for medical imaging. In 2021, the Netherlands-based healthcare company was founded Phillips And Amazon Web Services said they are working on using AI to analyze medical image data. Similar, GE HealthCare published a blog post in 2022 about the various AI tools it has developed for radiology.
Keith Kirkpatrick, research director at The Futurum Group, said there is not yet a clear leader in the AI medical imaging market because the technology is still so new.
“It’s really wide open,” Kirkpatrick told CNBC. “We’re still pretty early in the game right now.”
Kirkpatrick, who was briefed on Tuesday's announcement, said that to be successful in this space, Google Cloud and Bayer's radiology platform must have a high level of technical rigor, provide strong privacy and security controls and be easy to use. The key is to build trust with radiologists, he added.
“Google needs to ensure its technology is as foolproof as possible,” Kirkpatrick said.
Google Cloud has been working with Bayer on the radiology platform for around five years. The foundation was built using existing Google Cloud solutions such as Vertex AI, Healthcare API and BigQuery, and Kurian said the platform's data is encrypted.
The companies leveraged Bayer's expertise in radiology to ensure the product was easy for doctors to use. According to a press release, Bayer generated sales of around 2 billion euros ($2.16 billion) from its radiology products last year.
Nevertheless, the platform represents a foray into a completely new business model for Bayer, said Guido Mathews, Bayer Vice President of Radiology.
“We're not offering a new pill – we're offering a service for which we charge users accordingly,” Mathews said in an interview with CNBC. “Helping to develop models and also helping to provide models for radiology is a big step forward for us.”
Google Cloud and Bayer are exploring different pricing models for the platform, he said. Other healthcare organizations will begin testing and providing feedback on the platform this year.
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