An interview with Rafał Samborski, CEO at Cardiomatics.
Follow us to read the second part of the interview with Prof. Michael Kühne and Prof. Christine Meyer-Zürn from the University of Basel
The University Hospital Basel has started a cooperation with Cardiomatics on the SWISS-AF-Burden study. They are investigating the impact of atrial fibrillation burden on incidents such as stroke, heart failure and dementia. Broader knowledge about patients with AF could help to tailor medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient in the future.
We have interviewed Rafał Samborski, CEO at Cardiomatics.
Rafał, why do you believe in algorithms so much?
I am convinced that artificial intelligence has the potential to change human life and improve organizations. Thanks to the combination of the advantages of artificial intelligence in the field of data processing and human creativity, people and machines have been able to start working side by side to achieve things so far unattainable. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the development of technologies based on artificial intelligence. A permanent shortage of human resources has led medicine to appreciate new approaches in diagnostics and therapy. And it is precisely modern technologies that act as a kind of remedy in this case. Solutions based on artificial intelligence and automation have the potential to increase the efficiency of the healthcare system and improve diagnostic processes. Their implementation enables faster and more precise selection of the appropriate therapy, but also the use of appropriate prophylaxis. I think that in the future, AI will certainly play an increasingly important role in the prediction of epidemiological threats. The data obtained thanks to the work of algorithms will allow for better preparation of the population in terms of health condition even before people fall ill and will help in the planning of areas related to the management of medical facilities.
What role will Cardiomatics play in this vision? What does Cardiomatics do exactly?
Cardiomatics offers cutting-edge, cloud AI-based digital analysis of ECG data. It is a medical-grade system, based on accurate algorithms, which ensures high-quality and trusted outcomes. Thanks to our solution, the number of medical workers around the world who are able to quickly receive an accurate analysis which they can base their diagnosis on is growing every day. They no longer have to spend countless hours analyzing ECG tests and the associated paperwork – this time can be spent on more urgent tasks and paying more attention to the patients themselves. In the current reality, support in the form of such solutions is invaluable. As the creator of digital medical technologies, Cardiomatics already cooperates with many doctors, manufacturers, and suppliers of Holter devices around the world.
What is Cardiomatics focused on now? What stage of your business are you at?
We are currently focusing on developing our product and expanding our partnership network. We are conducting numerous talks with potential clients and partners operating in particular European countries but also globally. We are also constantly participating in scientific research conducted by research centers in Poland and Switzerland.
Why did the University of Basel decide to trust the Cardiomatics algorithms?
Switzerland is an important market for us – we have been operating there since 2018. The University of Basel had been recommended to us during a similar project in which we participated in cooperation with the University of Bern. Thanks to our good opinion, the research team of Prof. Michael Kühne decided to trust us and conduct a pilot that assessed the quality of the ECG signal analysis provided by Cardiomatics. Obviously, the results were satisfactory to the researchers, which facilitated the use of Cardiomatics in the Swiss-AF-Burden.
What other research projects is Cardiomatics involved in?
Our intelligent AI tool has also gained the trust of the Central Teaching Hospital at the Medical University of Warsaw, which uses Cardiomatics in its research in the appropriate qualification of patients for CRT resynchronization therapy, which is often used in patients with heart failure. In order to facilitate an assessment of the effectiveness of CRT therapy, a research team records patients’ ECG signals. Then, these records are analyzed by Cardiomatics, and the obtained material serves as a training base for the artificial intelligence algorithm. Based on these data, artificial intelligence will help doctors make the right decisions when qualifying patients for CRT resynchronization therapy. Thanks to this, the chances of increasing the number of people for whom this therapy will bring the expected results will improve.
Why is Cardiomatics chosen by research centers? What distinguishes your solution?
Manual ECG analysis can be very time-consuming, especially when it comes to long-term recordings using conventional Holter software. When a large amount of research and analysis is necessary for some scientific research to be carried out, our solution is able to make things significantly easier for the research team, while providing reliable data. For the research team, we can say that Cardiomatics is something like an additional cardiologist who has been educated by many of the best cardiologists in the world and is still learning. Thanks to this, it can successfully support the world’s best research teams, such as the Swiss-AF-Burden.
