A groundbreaking EU-funded initiative has been launched to leverage health data and artificial intelligence (AI) throughout cardiovascular care, supported by the EU4Health Program.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the main cause of death and disability in Europe, representing the highest burden among non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with ongoing disparities between countries and institutions. Health information and artificial intelligence present significant chances to enhance CVD prevention, early identification, and treatment. Nevertheless, adoption is presently inconsistent, and there is a deficiency of standardized validation methods.
The European Cardiovascular Health Data and AI Network (CHAIN) has been initiated to bridge the gap, concentrating on implementation, assessment, governance, and expansion. This 36-month initiative is managed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) within a multi-stakeholder group comprising 20 European nations.
The 53 partners consist of universities and research institutions, hospitals and clinical networks, tech firms, national health ministries, and patient advocacy groups. CHAIN develops upon the ESC's EuroHeart registry network, which currently connects 18 ESC member nations with standardized information on cardiovascular care and results, providing resources and frameworks that assist countries in tracking outcomes, comparing practices, and fostering lasting enhancements in care.
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“One in three deaths in Europe is caused by CVD and the €282 billion cost to the EU from CVD exceeds the EU's annual budget. The need to act is critical, and CHAIN could not be more timely or important in that endeavour," says says Professor Cecilia Linde, President of the ESC, Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
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"CHAIN is about turning the promise of AI into better cardiovascular health for everyone. By helping trusted innovations reach patients safely and equitably, we can prevent disease earlier and give more people the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives," adds Professor Cecilia Linde.
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Professor Folkert Asselbergs, CHAIN Scientific Coordinator and Chair of the ESC AI Gateway, from the Amsterdam University Medical Centre, The Netherlands says, "In this era of misinformation, patients and healthcare professionals are looking to medical societies like the ESC to lead the way: to provide a framework for the implementation of trusted solutions that really add value beyond what is currently available."