Topcon Healthcare (THI) announced a partnership with Microsoft Corporation to deliver AI-powered ‘healthcare from the eye’ solutions to improve healthcare access, cost, and quality. A cloud-based connected network of healthcare providers using the Nuance Precision Imaging Network and the THI Harmony platform will empower patients and healthcare providers to participate in pre-screening for systemic and neurological diseases via a robotic, rapid, and non-invasive eye scan.
“We are committed to making healthcare accessible and affordable through pre-screening using oculomics-leveraging the eye for insights into systemic and neurological health. We call this, Healthcare from the Eye. A key element of this effort is Harmony – a vendor-inclusive, secure, connected data management platform,” said Ali Tafreshi, CEO & President of Topcon Healthcare.
Since establishing the Microsoft collaboration in February of 2024, THI has initiated several projects to drive the mission forward. A collaboration with the University of California, San Diego aims to show the value of AI-powered screening and coordinated care of diabetic patients across primary care, optometry, and ophthalmology. “Healthcare from the Eye is no longer just a concept; it is the future of healthcare,” said Robert N. Weinreb, MD, Chair and Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego.
AI technology is advancing at an unprecedented rate. Following best practices and implementing effective policy and safety measures are critical for the successful deployment and containment of AI solutions. “Microsoft’s expertise in safe computing and AI provides a significant boost to our vendor-inclusive Harmony Network as a delivery environment for AI-powered decision support algorithms,” said Hideyuki Takizawa, Topcon Corporation, Senior Executive Officer, and Global Managing Director of the Eye Care Business division. Additionally, the THI Corporate Venture Capital fund is enabling Healthcare from the Eye by investing in science-based AI innovators. “We are providing these AI partners funding, business consulting, and the ideal delivery platform to help accelerate commercialization of their AI solutions for healthcare,” said Fumio Ohue, SVP of Topcon Corporation and Chairman of THI.
“Microsoft’s healthcare and AI expertise adds a powerful dimension to Topcon Healthcare’s vision to empower providers with smart and efficient technologies for enhanced patient care,” said Peter Durlach, Corporate Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, Microsoft Health & Life Sciences.
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