Philips receives grant to improve quality and accessibility of maternal care in low- and middle-income countries
November 10 2021 - 8:00AM
November 10, 2021
- USD 15.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation adds to Philips’ R&D investments and will boost
obstetrics app development for Philips Handheld Ultrasound –
Lumify
- Project further underscores Philips’ commitment to improve the
lives of 2.5 billion people a year by 2030, including 400 million
in underserved communities
Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips
(NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today
announced it has received a USD 15.4 million grant from the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an artificial
intelligence (AI) based application suite to improve the quality
and accessibility of obstetric care in low- and middle-income
countries, especially in underserved communities. By helping
front-line healthcare workers such as midwives to identify
potential problems in pregnancy at an early stage, the project aims
to significantly reduce the number of women who die as a result of
pregnancy - currently around 830 women every day worldwide [1] -
while reducing fetal mortality and morbidity.
The project plans to develop an application suite that will be
deployed on Philips Handheld Ultrasound – Lumify – which is
currently in widespread use in community-based mother and child
care programs around the world. It also builds on the expertise of
the Philips Foundation, providing access to quality healthcare for
underserved communities worldwide, including a program in Kenya to
educate midwives to deliver ultrasound-based antenatal pregnancy
screening in village clinics, while receiving telehealth support
from radiologists at distance.
“Philips is a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence in
healthcare, with many of its AI-based solutions already FDA
approved,” said Joseph Frassica, Head of Philips Research Americas
and Chief Medical Officer, Philips North America. “This effort to
use AI to help deliver high quality pre-natal care to the vast
number of women in the world who cannot easily access it is a
perfect example of what we believe AI should be used for -
empowering healthcare professionals to help them deliver faster and
more efficient care to help improve patient outcomes.”
Enhancing skills of midwives in low and middle-income
countriesHandheld diagnostic ultrasound platforms like
Philips Lumify offer an affordable solution to assess pregnancy,
while providing a portable option to be used in community-based
mother and child care programs. However, front-line midwives often
lack the required training and ultrasound experience to make a
confident diagnosis. AI-enabled applications have the potential to
bridge this gap by providing assistance to acquire the right images
and then assist with interpretation of those images. The suite of
AI-based obstetrics applications will help front-line healthcare
workers to identify high-risk pregnancies that can be clinically
managed to prevent adverse birth outcomes.
AI-guided assessment of gestational age and fetal
developmentThe World Health Organization recommends at
least one ultrasound scan before 24 weeks of gestation for pregnant
women to evaluate gestational age with greater confidence than a
traditional last menstrual period estimate [2]. A better estimate
of gestational age can reduce the number of induced labors and, as
a result, help improve the birthing experience for a large number
of women. Appropriate targeting of maternal and neonatal care can
also help to prevent complications of prematurity. Currently, no
ultrasound device is commercially available that assists non-expert
users by automating image acquisition or image interpretation for a
comprehensive set of obstetrics measurements, limiting access to
early fetal ultrasound scans.
“Philips Handheld Ultrasound – Lumify – is a great example of
how Philips is bringing diagnostic insights to the point of care to
deliver on the ‘quadruple aim’ of healthcare: better health
outcomes, an improved experience for patients and staff, and a
lower cost of care,” said Matthijs Groot Wassink, General Manager
for Access and Obstetric Ultrasound at Philips. “Supported through
funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, we now have
the opportunity to extend those enhanced patient and staff
experiences to pregnant women and midwives throughout the world,
while at the same time reducing maternal and infant mortality and
morbidity, and making high quality prenatal care much more
affordable in low-resource settings.”
Philips and the Philips Foundation have several ongoing programs
to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in underserved
communities, including a partnership with the United Nations
Population Fund and the Government of Republic of the Congo and
with Aga Khan University’s Center of Excellence in Women and Child
Health in East Africa.
Philips is a leader in ultrasound solutions with a large global
installed base and a strong track record of industry-first
innovations in areas such as 3D imaging of the heart, AI-powered
quantification tools, and ultra-mobile portable ultrasound
solutions. Its ultrasound portfolio supports the effective and
efficient delivery of care across a broad range of clinical
specialties including radiology, cardiology, point-of-care and
obstetrics/gynecology. Visit Philips Ultrasound Systems portfolio
for more information, and join Philips at RSNA 2021 where
the company will spotlight its latest portfolio of connected
radiology workflow solutions and smart connected imaging systems to
increase efficiency and diagnostic confidence in precision care and
treatment.
[1]
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality[2]
WHO | WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive
pregnancy experience: ultrasound examination
For further information, please contact:
Kathy O’ReillyPhilips Global Press OfficeTel: +1
978-221-8919Email: kathy.oreilly@philips.com
Silvie CasanovaPhilips North AmericaTel: +1 781-879-0692Email:
Silvie.casanova@philips.com
About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health
technology company focused on improving people's health and
well-being, and enabling better outcomes across the health
continuum – from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis,
treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and
deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated
solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a
leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient
monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health
and home care. Philips generated 2020 sales of EUR 17.3 billion and
employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in
more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at
www.philips.com/newscenter.
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