Associate Professor Angus Turner (photo credit: The West Australian)
The Lions Eye Institute is delighted to share that our Lions Outback Vision submission has been chosen as one of 10 finalists in The Challenge initiative.
The Challenge is a State Government competition to develop a world-leading and innovative medical research solution to resolve health service delivery issues in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Lions Outback Vision was chosen from almost 100 global submissions in a worldwide search to improve the delivery of healthcare in the vast Pilbara region.
The core deliverable of the project is to tackle chronic disease care on Country with outreach screening incorporating artificial intelligence. The project will implement a region-wide screening program that leverages artificial intelligence, run from a mobile four-wheel-drive van, operated by a diabetes educator and an Aboriginal health worker. It includes multidisciplinary specialist oversight that provides specialist care on Country through telehealth services and regular site visits.
Associate Professor Angus Turner, McCusker Director of Lions Outback Vision, said that research has proven artificial intelligence (AI) to be superior to specialists at detecting disease.
“For this project, we will introduce Australia’s first retinal camera with fully integrated AI in a mobile vehicle that can travel off road to any community,” he said.
The Lions Outback Vision team regularly travels to remote communities bringing eye health care to patients like Bruce
“The AI can detect more than just eye problems, it can also pick up issues with the heart and lungs, meaning we can screen for a multitude of diseases with one visit,”
“The final piece of the puzzle is a Vision Jet, which would enable an all-in-one team to deliver treatment directly to patients in their own communities.”
Finalists were determined by a rigorous judging panel to ensure solutions were fit for purpose and met the needs of people living in the Pilbara. Each of the 10 finalists has been awarded $200,000 to develop their concept over 12 months. The most outstanding solution will be awarded $5 million in October 2024.
The Lions Eye Institute and Lions Outback Vision are grateful to Rio Tinto, BHP and the State Government Future Health Research and Innovation Fund for the opportunity to showcase the ability of this work to transform healthcare outcomes in the Pilbara, and provide better vision for all.
Watch The Challenge finalist video, news segment and listen to the radio interview below.
