Ibermutua and the IBV will apply AI to generate a predictive model on the duration of medical leave

VALENCIA, 13 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Ibermutua, a mutual collaborator with Social Security, is developing, in collaboration with the Institute of Biomechanics (IBV), an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software, called Smartprognosis, which consists of the development of a predictive model on the duration of the processes of temporary disability.

Smartprognosis, based on machine learning algorithms, is a tool that began to be developed in June 2022 and will be completed in the coming months in order to apply AI "in a work model that guides the healthcare professional involved in the course." of a temporary disability process", to guide the doctor "in how long said process may last depending on the diagnosis, different parameters and treatment applied", as reported by the IBV in a statement.

Likewise, he explained that two groups of processes of the musculoskeletal system have been selected for an initial phase. On the one hand, leave processes due to professional contingency affected by non-traumatic shoulder pathology and, on the other, leave processes due to common contingency affected by cervical and lumbar spine pathologies.

Smartprognosis will frame the duration of each process seen in consultation, so that "the professional will be able to make more solid decisions based on the efficiency of resources and consolidated experience," the IBV has detailed, which has indicated that this "will allow the faster and better recovery of patients and will contribute to reducing the duration of sick leave.

To achieve this objective, the tool will be based on the use of data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR), combining it with other "key" for the prognosis that are not found in that history (exogenous data) in order to help patients. health professionals in clinical decision making to improve management.

The IBV has assured that in this way "the process of collecting certain data and examinations in the EHR that has an impact on its duration becomes especially important, as well as the completion, by patients, of a specific questionnaire on behaviors." , attitudes, perception of pain in daily life and at work in order to assess their contribution to the success of the predictive model".

As a result of the application and assessment of all the data collected, the algorithm used by Smartprognosis will help professionals during the care process of patients with musculoskeletal pathologies, by interpreting the information available at all times and the best management scenario in regarding the duration of the temporary disability depending on a series of potential actions, the institute added.

Regarding the implementation of Smartprognosis, the doctor responsible for Digital Health at Ibermutua and developer of the project, Rosa Servián, has indicated that "it is planned to have the definition of the model and the computer system prepared in these coming months to begin with its application in the second half of this year".

Servián added that "it is expected that, if the expected results are obtained, in the not too distant future, new models can also be developed for other musculoskeletal pathologies or even extend it, for example, to mental health pathologies, for its part." impact both in healthcare and in the provision of temporary disability, and as a sample of all the possibilities offered by the application of Artificial Intelligence in the field of occupational medicine.

From the IBV, the Director of Innovation, Ignacio Bermejo, has pointed out that "one of the main novelties of the Smartprognosis project is that it has focused on acquiring the data that allows us to achieve the best prediction to avoid the biases of exclusively using the information included in the medical history".

Bermejo explained that "one of the great benefits of AI and the digitalization of health is that they move towards personalized medicine in which each patient requires unique management."

Smartprognosis was presented last January during a webinar organized by the Institute of Biomechanics to address the advances in Artificial Intelligence applied to the forecast of Temporary Disability with the participation of Ignacio Bermejo; Enric Medina, Senior Researcher in Biomedical Engineering at IBV; and Rosa Servián, member of the Ibermutua Digital Health Committee and expert in the application of new digital technologies to health and the management of temporary disability.