Ontada Transforms Unstructured Oncology Data with Microsoft Azure AI

What You Should Know: 

Ontada, a McKesson business specializing in oncology real-world data and evidence, has formed a strategic partnership with Microsoft to leverage the power of Azure AI in transforming cancer care. 

– The partnership will harness the capabilities of Azure OpenAI Service to efficiently process vast amounts of unstructured oncology data, unlocking valuable insights and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

The Challenge of Unstructured Data in Healthcare

A significant challenge in healthcare is the abundance of unstructured data, which accounts for up to 80% of all healthcare information. This data, often found in clinical notes, lab reports, and medical images, is difficult to analyze and utilize effectively. As a result, an estimated 97% of this valuable information remains untapped.

Ontada’s AI-Powered Solution

Ontada is tackling this challenge by deploying Large Language Models (LLMs) to extract critical oncology data elements from unstructured documents. By collaborating with Microsoft and utilizing Azure OpenAI Service, Ontada can efficiently process over 150 million unstructured oncology document components.

This collaboration will enable Ontada to:

  • Enhance Data Quality and Accuracy: Improve the accuracy and reliability of extracted data, ensuring the integrity of real-world evidence.
  • Gain a Comprehensive View of the Patient Journey: Construct a more complete and nuanced understanding of the patient experience, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
  • Strengthen Data for Research and Clinical Decision-Making: Provide high-quality data to inform research, clinical trials, and treatment decisions.

Ontada’s ON.Genuity™ Platform

This initiative builds upon Ontada’s ON.Genuity™ platform, which combines innovative AI with a sophisticated common data model to generate robust real-world data from its proprietary electronic health record (EHR) system, iKnowMed.

Benefits for Cancer Care

By leveraging Azure AI, Ontada aims to:

  • Accelerate Research and Development: Speed up the process of developing new cancer treatments and therapies.
  • Improve Clinical Decision Support: Provide clinicians with more accurate and comprehensive data to inform treatment decisions.
  • Enhance Patient Outcomes: Ultimately contribute to better outcomes for cancer patients.

“Our strategic collaboration with Microsoft enables us to extend the boundaries of artificial intelligence-driven oncology research by generating meaningful and actionable data at unprecedented scale and speed,” said Christine Davis, President, Ontada. “This innovative approach empowers us to deliver comprehensive and real-world data about the patient’s journey, and enhanced patient outcomes through personalized treatment.”