Artificial intelligence and big data supporting healthy ageing
On January 1st 2023, 21.3 % of the EU’s population was aged 65 or older, with an increase of 44.7 % projected between 2019 and 2050. Those aged 65 or over are projected to account for 31.3 % of the EU’s population by 2100, compared with 21.1 % in 2022. This pronounced demographic shift towards an older European population has profound implications. Aside from the impact on individuals, increased chronic disease and long-term care needs place greater financial and emotional strain on families. Additionally, while the state must meet the increasing cost, pension demands will also increase as the workforce contracts, potentially exacerbating labour shortages and reducing economic growth. Against this backdrop, the EU-funded GATEKEEPER project has developed an AI-driven big data platform that offers next-generation healthcare services. “Bringing together diverse stakeholders and 40 000 EU citizens, GATEKEEPER has helped pioneer innovative digital healthcare based on predictive risk assessments and personalised chronic disease management,” explains Germán Gutiérrez, project coordinator, based at Medtronic in Spain.
Prevention, management and treatment of age-related conditions
To collect and aggregate data about patient health for the GATEKEEPER platform, including that from Electronic Medical Records and Personal Health Records, the team first developed data processing implementation guidelines based on a standard called HL7- Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources. Once ingested, the platform’s AI algorithms and models were then able to analyse and interpret this data to assess individual health risks, identify potential problems, and provide personalised recommendations and interventions. For instance, GATEKEEPER’s algorithms can identify those most at risk of chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes, then through wearable devices like smart watches, offer personalised advice on the best fitness regimes to follow and even monitor adherence. Healthcare professionals supervise the process through a dashboard, adjusting care plans with the help of visual analytics. Future iterations will include features such as dietary and mental health guidance.
Piloting of the healthcare platform around the world
GATEKEEPER was piloted across various regions in Europe, including Aragon, Basque Country, Lodz, Greece, Cyprus, Milton Keynes, Bangor, Poland, Puglia, Saxony, alongside Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. In each case to evaluate the platform in real-world settings, the pilot team collaborated with healthcare providers and patients, alongside industry, civil society, academia and government stakeholders. Guided by the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging initiative, use cases included wearables which monitored glycaemic status in diabetes patients and stroke prevention using coaching apps and virtual reality. “The pilots were successfully deployed across regions with very different healthcare needs and integrated into a range of healthcare settings, validating the platform's scalability and adaptability,” notes Leandro Pecchia, pilot manager.
Healthcare that can be scaled up, rolled out and inform policy
“GATEKEEPER will also support healthcare providers and policymakers to make informed decisions based on insights and predictions from our aggregated data, explains Giuseppe Fico, GATEKEEPER's technical manager. Towards this end, the team have streamlined an ethical and legal framework for healthcare innovation, established cybersecurity and data anonymisation protocols, as well as ensuring compliance with data processing regulations, like GDPR. Going forward, platforms like the Ezmeral Platform, will be used to ensure standardised and secure data storage and analytical versatility. While the GATEKEEPER platform remains in use by pilot partners, a governance model is under development to enable the system to be scaled up and rolled out across various healthcare settings.
Keywords
GATEKEEPER, disease, age, health, big data, artificial intelligence, healthcare, prevention, treatment
