The latest project for IBM's supercomputer Watson is developing a virtual advisor for diabetes patients and their caregivers, as well as a database for providers to inform treatment and care decisions.
IBM has partnered with the American Diabetes Association to leverage its repository of clinical and research data. Watson will be trained to understand the data and eventually produce evidence-based recommendations for making health decisions. For providers, the diabetes database will help assist with treatment decisions and care management approaches, including tailored treatments to individuals.
What's more, IBM and the ADA plan to develop a cloud-based data and insights service for scientists to aid them in their research.
IBM and the ADA are also launching an innovation challenge for developers to create apps supporting people living with diabetes using the ADA's data and Watson insights.
"As the science of diabetes advances, big data presents a tremendous opportunity in diabetes care and prevention. But patients, caregivers and healthcare providers need access to cognitive tools that can help them translate that big data into action, and Watson can offer access to timely, personalized insights," said Kyu Rhee, MD, chief health officer of IBM Watson Health. "The American Diabetes Association is the ideal partner for IBM to enable this type of developer challenge, given the association's role establishing clinical care standards worldwide. Our collective goal is to provide the motivation, the tools and the insights to transform clinical care, self-management and accelerate scientific breakthroughs."
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