Sutter Health strikes deal with GE HealthCare. Execs say AI tech will speed patient scans
Sutter Health struck a seven-year agreement to acquire imaging equipment and AI-based technology from GE HealthCare — a branch of the Boston manufacturing conglomerate that spun off from the larger business two years ago.
Sutter patients wait too long for imaging tests, said Mark Sevco, the health systems’ chief operating officer. The deal with GE HealthCare will allow the health system to upgrade outdated machines faster and equip the slew of new clinics that Sutter plans to open.
Aaron Hudy, GE HealthCare U.S. and Canada President, West Central Region, said his company’s technology can reduce patients’ time in MRI scans by 40%, cutting back the time spent in a sometimes stressful scan, and allowing hospital staff to see more patients.
The technology, he said, uses AI-based algorithms to identify noise in the scans and eliminate it, offering a clearer picture. He said their programs can also guide staff who operate ultrasound machines to orient the probe to create a clearer image.
Health systems across the country have been betting on new technologies, many based on AI, as means of addressing staffing shortages and make hospitals more efficient. Sacramento-based Sutter has an “innovation center” in San Francisco where engineers and designers work on advancing the health system’s technology.
The health system recently adopted a program that — with patients’ consent — records conversations between patients and their clinicians, and types up notes about the appointment. Sevco billed it as a timesaver for doctors who would otherwise have to write up notes after hours. More than 1,400 physicians use it today, he said.
“This is real, fast-moving technology that we are leaning into,” Sevco said. “I think it’s a significant game-changer to our field.”
He added that Sutter has an AI governance committee which oversees how new technology is used within the health system.
“There’s a lot of variability in medicine,” he said. “So the more that we can standardize and get predictive on these types of things... the treatment and the protocols and the outcomes improve.”
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
