ACC, OpenEvidence using AI to improve heart care

WASHINGTON – The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and OpenEvidence are entering a strategic partnership to accelerate the translation of cardiovascular clinical guidance and research into clinical implementation at the point of care.

By combining ACC’s leadership in cardiovascular science and education with OpenEvidence’s advanced generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology, clinicians will have access to the latest relevant and actionable medical evidence to support shared decision-making with their patients.

“At the American College of Cardiology, our mission is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart care for all, because patients deserve care that’s not only informed by the latest scientific evidence, but also delivered with confidence and compassion,” said ACC chief executive officer Cathleen C. Gates. “Our collaboration with OpenEvidence will allow us to responsibly integrate AI into clinical workflows, ensuring that patients benefit from timely, evidence-based care without compromising safety, transparency or the trusted judgment of their clinicians.”

Through this partnership, OpenEvidence users will benefit from seamless access to trusted, evidence-based medical content curated by the ACC. By integrating generative AI-powered search capabilities, the platform enhances the clinical decision-making experience at point-of-care with both speed and accuracy.

According to an October article in the New York Times, in just three years, OpenEvidence has grown to become a popular tool among doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners. It now supports about 15 million clinical consultations a month, said Daniel Nadler (pictured), one of its founders. That was up from 8.5 million consultations a month in July.

The company was started in 2022 by Mr. Nadler, who previously founded an A.I. start-up that was sold to S&P Global for $550 million, and Zachary Ziegler with the idea of helping medical professionals more quickly reach diagnoses.

Its AI co-pilot is trained on medical journals from JAMA and the New England Journal of Medicine — “blue-chip stuff,” according to Mr. Nadler — to help users quickly draw on existing medical knowledge to treat patients.

Nadler told CNBC that in October alone, OpenEvidence handled 17 million consultations from US doctors and other healthcare professionals.

“When we look at what clinicians are searching on OpenEvidence, the heart is everywhere: central to pathophysiology, and central to clinical decision-making,” said Nadler, CEO of OpenEvidence. “From family physicians and emergency doctors to intensivists and trauma surgeons, clinicians across every specialty rely on the work of the ACC to guide evidence-based care.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the organization that defines the foundation for cardiovascular practice, bringing their trusted expertise to the point of care through responsible, generative AI.”

The creation of supplemental materials to support guideline implementation and care delivery is a major aspect of the collaboration. The ACC and OpenEvidence will convene an expert work group of cardiovascular clinicians to identify high-impact areas, frequently asked questions and assess knowledge gaps based on what clinicians are asking at the point of care.

The work group will also explore Guideline development improvement and the creation of new educational materials to optimize generative AI in practice.

An ACC/OpenEvidence AI Resource Center and podcast series are also in the works, exploring how AI technologies are shaping cardiovascular medicine. Additionally, the College will partner with OpenEvidence on the ACC Future Hub at the ACC Annual Scientific Session, providing attendees with frontline access to practice-changing technologies that can be used to optimize patient care and outcomes.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is a global leader dedicated to transforming cardiovascular care and improving heart health for all. For more than 75 years, the ACC has empowered a community of over 60,000 cardiovascular professionals across more than 140 countries with cutting-edge education and advocacy, rigorous professional credentials, and trusted clinical guidance. From its world-class JACC Journals and NCDR registries to its Accreditation Services, global network of Chapters and Sections, and CardioSmart patient initiatives, the College is committed to creating a world where science, knowledge and innovation optimize patient care and outcomes. Learn more at www.ACC.org.