Data Aggregation, Translation & Architecture- DATA
With the sole purpose of helping clinicians make data-driven decisions, the Data Aggregation, Translation & Architecture (DATA) team leverages cutting-edge web and mobile applications, programs and databases for large-scale data collection and analytics via machine learning/artificial intelligence (ML/AI).
The DATA team, which is led by UHN's Chief Data Scientist Michael Brudno, includes 35 goal-focused members. The team has deep expertise ranging from computer science and statistics including ML/AI, to advanced data visualization, and human-computer interfaces. The team has developed both clinical and research systems for individual clinics, hospitals and pan-Canadian projects.
For example, the DATA team designed and developed the STOP-CoV digital platform aimed at recruiting participants for a research study investigating COVID vaccine response. This platform enabled the recruitment of 1,200 participants in the first three weeks. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the team developed the Princess Margaret At Home (PATH) platform, which enabled patients to complete pre-appointment questionnaires from their device before their medical appointments. To date, PATH has more than 21,000 users with over 309,000 total appointments booked and 71,000 surveys completed. The tool has led to a significant health care cost savings, while reducing nurse and physician workloads. Another noteworthy project completed by the team is the Clinical Archive for Data Science (CARDS) platform, which empowers research users to customize their data collection workflows with a robust questionnaire builder and fluid user-defined data structures.
A project that is currently underway within the machine learning portfolio is focused on developing an innovative tool to support laparoscopic surgery. The tool shows surgeons, in real-time, the safe zones, where a cut can be safely performed, and “no-go” zones, where a cut would be dangerous. As the industry moves towards further digitization, the DATA team's ability to leverage AI/ML to analyze patient data, provide clinical decision support, and predict medical outcomes is helping clinicians and researchers to better serve patients.
For more information, visit the DATA team website.