The Hackensack School of Medicine recently announced a $1 million commitment from COTU and its co-founders – Zachary Smith, CEO and Michael Crisafulli, COO. The commitment works to launch a cutting-edge virtual patient platform powered by machine learning (ML) and mixed reality (MR).
The gift is given in the hopes of fueling the development of a dual-platform curriculum that helps prepare the next generation of physicians. It is designed to help prepare them for leadership in data-driven and technology-driven health systems.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is committed to embracing AI and other technology to help us build the health system of the future,’’ said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Through these groundbreaking advances, we will elevate the delivery of care, ensuring that every patient receives the best possible experience and that every one of our clinicians, nurses and other team members are empowered to provide it.”
The platform looks to build upon the success of the Hackensack School of Medicine’s Health Care Strategy elective. The new ML-driven platform will further enhance students’ hands-on learning. In collaboration with Sameer Sethi, senior vice president, chief AI and insights officer at Hackensack Meridian Health, Dr. Mohammed Quadri, M.D., MBA, who created the elective, will lead the design of advanced virtual patient experiences.
The dual-platform initiative includes ML-Powered virtual patients and a Mixed Reality holographic module. The patients will incorporate advanced language models, personalized learning paths and integration with Hackensack Meridian Health’s ML integration framework.
In the module, students will engage with 3D anatomy and pathology, to create immersive surgical simulation with haptic feedback. The holographic visualization and direct link between virtual patients could prove to be beneficial for students.
“Philanthropic support is critical to help shape the future of medicine, and this generous investment from Zachary Smith is about empowering students to tackle the future of health care, ML and technology head-on,” said Joyce P. Hendricks, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “We are so grateful for Zachary’s gift and know it will make such a vital impact in the medical education our students at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine receive.”
The generous gift will lead to an improvement in learning for young, eager physicians. The $1 million committed is vital to providing the tools that helps them in their journey.