Cape Cod Healthcare expands access to leading-edge care with innovative GE HealthCare imaging equipment

• Cape Cod Healthcare expands imaging capabilities at the Massachusetts healthcare system’s hospitals in Hyannis and Falmouth, enhancing the system’s diagnostic capacity with advanced CT and MRI systems
• On-device AI added to GE HealthCare CT and MRI systems, helps enable faster, high-quality images for use across care areas, with emphasis on cardiac care

CHICAGO — January 7, 2024 — GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) and Cape Cod Healthcare have announced a technology modernization effort to expand and upgrade innovative diagnostic capabilities for patients. The effort includes the installation of advanced CT and MRI technology at Cape Cod Healthcare’s two hospitals (Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and Falmouth Hospital), expanding access to advanced imaging services, including cardiac care. Utilization of the first two equipment upgrades at each hospital will begin this month, with a schedule of upgrades to follow. The agreements (running through 2031 and 2027), also provide Cape Cod Healthcare with the latest advancements in GE HealthCare CT and MRI software and artificial intelligence.

“Cardiac care is a critical area of importance for Cape Cod Healthcare as the community’s population ages,” said Cape Cod Hospital’s Chief of Radiology Dr. Shawn Rayder. “We are a not-for-profit, independent health system dedicated to serving our robust patient population with the highest quality healthcare services, right on Cape Cod. This investment in GE HealthCare’s innovative imaging is another example of how we are enhancing access to leading-edge care and technology for all in our community.”

Cardiac care is an important area of focus for Cape Cod Healthcare, where they take a comprehensive and specialized team approach to patients throughout the cardiology care pathway. The approach is designed to meet patients where they are to deliver excellent care close to home, with the ability to have additional cardiac procedures done at Cape Cod Hospital. Earlier this year, they announced a new bridge program for Atrial fibrillation patients diagnosed in the emergency room and referred to a cardiologist. They have also established a clinical affiliation with Beth Israel Lahey Health for cardiac surgery. 

“Empowering health care providers at systems like Cape Cod Healthcare to deliver efficient, high-quality imaging for their patients and increase access to innovative deep learning technology is in line with our mission to provide solutions across the cardiology care pathway,” said Rachel Gilbreath, North East President at GE HealthCare. “By helping them to focus on individual patients through intelligent data and smart devices, we hope to empower Cape Cod Healthcare’s clinicians to make timelier and more informed decisions for the patients in their community.”

Additions of Innovative CT Systems Deliver High Image Quality, Care Plan Clarity
Cape Cod Healthcare will add Revolution™ Apex and Revolution™ Ascend CT platforms¹ at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital, with on-device AI applications for both systems that can help build diagnostic confidence and care pathway clarity that can help to tell a full, precision story of each patient’s heart, including: 

• TrueFidelity DL™, which can help to generate high-definition, low-noise CT images with exceptional sharpness and low-contrast detectability with preferred noise texture ².
• Effortless Workflow™, that intelligently automates the CT workflow from pre-scan protocoling to post-scan processing, using AI-based features to help transform the entire CT experience and provide maximum efficiency, accuracy, clarity, and consistency ^3,4,5.
• Smart Subscription™, a subscription-based service that helps keep computing platforms, clinical software applications and workflow innovations up to date across health systems’ entire fleet.

Patient Comfort and Diagnostic Accuracy, Speed Considered with Advanced MRI Systems

SIGNA Artist™ 1.5T wide-bore MR systems that can comfortably accommodate patients of varying sizing will also be added to both hospitals with on-device AI applications including: 

• Sonic DL™, which harnesses the power of deep learning and optimizes imaging protocols and image reconstruction, enabling healthcare providers to perform MRI scans more efficiently, slashing scan time by up to 83% ⁶. Sonic DL can help to reduce scan time to as little as a single heartbeat.
• AIR™ Recon DL, an innovative technology that utilizes deep learning algorithms that can help to significantly improve the quality and speed of MRI scans. By optimizing image reconstruction, the application reduces artifacts, enhances image clarity, and shortens scan times ⁷.  

Addressing Today’s Challenges of Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to grow in prevalence, with CVDs being the leading cause of death globally ⁸.  Nearly 18 million people died from diseases of the heart and blood vessels in 2019, representing 32 percent of all global deaths and, of these deaths, 85 percent were due to heart attack and stroke ⁹.  Prevalence of CVD has doubled since 1990, and looking ahead, the number of cases of cardiovascular disease are likely to increase substantially because of population growth and aging ¹⁰.  There is an urgent need to diagnose cardiovascular disease earlier to help curb cardiac deaths across the world as more than 60% of these deaths are also preventable and premature ^{11, 12.}

About Cape Cod Healthcare
Cape Cod Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare services for residents and visitors of Cape Cod. With more than 600 providers, over 5,000 employees and 250 volunteers, Cape Cod Healthcare is comprised of two acute care hospitals, the Cape’s leading provider of home care and hospice services (VNA), six urgent care centers, a primary and specialty care network, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, an assisted living facility, and numerous health services and programs. For more information, visit the Cape Cod Healthcare website at www.capecodhealth.org. For the latest in relevant and credible healthcare news, visit www.capecodhealthnews.com.

1. Product may not be available in all countries and regions and cannot be placed on the market or put into service until it has been made to comply with all required regulatory authorizations

2. Image quality comparisons were evaluated by phantom tests of MTF, SSP, axial NPS, standard deviation of image noise, CT Number accuracy, CNR, and artifact analysis. Additionally, LCD was demonstrated in phantom testing using a model observer with the head and body MITA CT IQ Phantoms (CT191, CT189 The Phantom Laboratory). DLIR-H and ASiR-V reconstructions were performed using the same raw data.

3. The data was based on comparison between GE HealthCare’s legacy products (16 ch and 64 ch scanner) and Revolution Ascend in the three institutions using a pilot product and selected routine head and body. The data set of this comparison was 838 exams for legacy products and 1387 exams for Revolution Ascend. The time saving value may not be effective for all institutions depending on the clinical practice. Defined the scan setting time is from “Open new patient” to “Confirm setting for Scout”

4. The required clicks are defined as clicks required to execute a scan from selecting a new patient till start scan. All associated clicks for and in clinical practice, number of the required clicks may vary depending on the circumstances, including but not limited to, the clinical task, exam type, clinical practice, and image reconstruction technique.

5. The data was based on comparison between GE HealthCare’s legacy products (16 ch and 64 ch scanner) and Revolution Ascend in the three institutions using a pilot product and selected routine head and body. The data set of this comparison was 838 exams for legacy products and 1387 exams for Revolution Ascend. The time saving value may not be effective for all institutions depending on the clinical practice. Definition of entire exam time is from “Open new patient” to “Last primary recon completed” for Revolution Ascend and “Close exam” for legacy products.

6. Compared to previous generation MR acceleration techniques.

7. https://www.gehealthcare.com/-/media/gehc/us/images/products/magnetic-resonance-imaging/air-technology/recondl/features-list/case-study-air-recon-dl--jb19184xx.pdf?rev=-1

8. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). June 11, 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds). Accessed February 2023.

9. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). June 11, 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds). Accessed February 2023.

10. American College of Cardiology. Cardiovascular Disease Burden, Deaths Are Rising Around the World. December 9, 2020. Available at: https://www.acc.org/about-acc/press-releases/2020/12/09/18/30/cvd-burden-and-deaths-rising-around-the-world. Accessed February 2023.

11. World Health Organization. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). June 11, 2021. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds). Accessed July 2024.

12. Vaduganathan M, Mensah G, Turco J, et al. The Global Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk: A Compass for Future Health. JACC. 2022;80(25):2361-2371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.11.005