Google has awarded $1 million to Sydney University’s Westmead Applied Research Centre (WARC) for a translational health program that will use digital tools to prevent heart attacks. As the winner of Australia’s inaugural Google.org AI Impact Challenge, the university receives the money and expert support to develop a customised digital health program powered by artificial intelligence technologies. Initially centered around western Sydney health services, the program reduces heart attack risk by providing tailored advice and nudges using machine learning to participants who have presented at hospital with chest pain. It combines clinical and consumer-derived data, such as from mobile phone apps and wearables with AI to provide earlier identification of ‘at-risk’ individuals and enable better access prioritisation based on risk. Digital health interventions and therapeutics such as text messages and smartphones apps have been the cornerstone of innovative research at WARC. Sydney University’s vice-chancellor and principal Dr Michael Spence said the award recognises the university’s pioneering work in this space. “AI has the potential to transform health globally – from crisis management to prevention – and we are delighted to be working with industry and with government to look at new ways of society’s growing health burden,” Dr Spence said in statement. Westmead Hospital cardiologist professor Clara Chow, said that a focus on a scalable prevention program should make a difference to individuals’ lives and help address issues of increasing preventable chronic illness suffered by an aging population. “Modifiable risk factors account for over 90 per cent of the risk of heart attack worldwide. Chest pain is the second most common reason people present to the emergency department in Australia and may be an early warning sign. Early identification and monitoring could prevent patients returning to hospital suffering a heart attack, but currently this is poorly done. AI-driven digital health interventions have the potential to be the game changer – as the technology would enable patients to be monitored while they go about their daily lives.” Follow CIO Australia on Twitter and Like us on Facebookhellip;Twitter: @CIO_Australia,Facebook: CIO Australia, or take part in the CIO conversation onLinkedIn: CIO Australia Follow Byron Connolly on Twitter:@ByronConnolly Related content feature 4 remedies to avoid cloud app migration headaches The compelling benefits of using proprietary cloud-native services come at a price: vendor lock-in. Here are ways CIOs can effectively plan without getting stuck. By Robert Mitchell Nov 29, 2023 9 mins CIO CIO CIO case study Steps Gerresheimer takes to transform its IT CIO Zafer Nalbant explains what the medical packaging manufacturer does to modernize its IT through AI, automation, and hybrid cloud. By Jens Dose Nov 29, 2023 6 mins CIO SAP ServiceNow feature Per Scholas redefines IT hiring by diversifying the IT talent pipeline What started as a technology reclamation nonprofit has since transformed into a robust, tuition-free training program that seeks to redefine how companies fill tech skills gaps with rising talent. By Sarah K. White Nov 29, 2023 11 mins Diversity and Inclusion Hiring news Saudi Arabia will host the World Expo in 2030 in Riyadh By Andrea Benito Nov 28, 2023 3 mins CIO Artificial Intelligence Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe