“Cedars-Sinai is proud of its rich Jewish heritage and its ongoing collaborations with medical centers in Israel,” said Cedars-Sinai President and CEO Peter L. Slavin, MD. “It is part of our overall commitment to the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, healing the world through our actions.”

One of Cedars-Sinai’s longest and most productive collaborations has been with Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv. The relationship began as a collaboration aimed at advancing cardiovascular medicine and the field of minimally invasive heart interventions.

Cedars-Sinai is now working with Sheba’s ARC Center for Digital Innovation to advance digital health technologies and AI-driven solutions for healthcare challenges. The two institutions also have established a program to enhance the perioperative care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease through tailored dietary, mental health and physical therapy interventions.

Investigators from the two institutions are studying stem cells at the International Space Station to determine how microgravity affects the biology of cells or may enhance manufacturing of stem cells in space.

Cedars-Sinai staff members are engaged in other projects throughout Israel. Among other efforts, teams are:

• Implementing the Sheba inflammatory bowel disease program at Emek Medical Center in northern Israel and at Assuta Ashdod Medical Center in the southern part of the country.
• Working on joint fellowship training programs in oncology, gynecology and endocrinology with Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where Cedars-Sinai also is engaged in joint data science and AI research programs as well as educational conferences for regenerative medicine, computational sciences and other specialties.
• Collaborating on several joint projects with scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in central Israel, including one that employs CAR T cells to treat solid cancers.
• Teaching, mentoring and performing complex surgeries. Hand surgeon David Kulber, MD, partnered with colleagues at Sheba Medical Center earlier this year to perform surgery on injured soldiers, using biologic joint reconstruction techniques he pioneered at Cedars-Sinai.

“We have a deep bench of projects with our partners in Israel,” said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai.

A delegation of Cedars-Sinai physicians and leaders last year visited several peripheral Israeli hospitals in the cities of Ashkelon, Nahariya and Safed. The group discussed opportunities to pursue educational and training collaborations and knowledge exchanges. The visitors also learned about the hospitals’ triage systems for major incidents.

Harry Sax, MD, vice chair of the Jim and Eleanor Randall Department of Surgery and the associate dean of Cedars-Sinai’s International Academic Programs, said the “first-hand experience will help better prepare teams back in Los Angeles for responding to unexpected events."

Read more from Cedars-Sinai Stories and Insights: Cedars-Sinai Pioneers a New Era for AI Education

As Mouneer Odeh, MA, chief data and artificial intelligence officer at Cedars-Sinai, looks back on the year, he reflects on how the organization deployed AI broadly across clinical, academic and administrative areas to drive clinical and operational excellence and to train the next generation of clinicians, scientists and healthcare professionals.

“AI is not just a tool; it is a catalyst for innovation and transformation,” Odeh said. “Our work this past year centered on translating innovative ideas into solutions with real-world impact and solutions that improve care, enhance discovery and teaching, and create greater efficiencies.”

Odeh said that as he looks at how AI will advance Cedars-Sinai’s work in the year ahead, “our focus for AI is rooted in our mission—elevating the health status of the communities we serve. The pace of innovation is accelerating, and the cumulative impact is growing.”

Under Odeh’s leadership in 2025, the Cedars-Sinai AI Council—a multidisciplinary team comprising clinicians, investigators, data experts and others—helped implement and advance dozens of AI initiatives. These are a few of those achievements.

Delivering Quality Care and Outcomes

Cedars-Sinai was the first health system to launch Aiva Nurse Assistant—initially a pilot program on a 48-bed surgical unit—an artificial intelligence mobile app that allows nurses to use a mobile phone to document patient information in real time through voice dictation.

The app transcribes the data and then—once validated by a clinician—files that information directly into a patient’s electronic medical record. The app is now being deployed across Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with the goal of reducing administrative burdens and fostering increased efficiencies and innovation.   

Another pilot program, Momentum Spine, launched this year at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s for pediatric patients with scoliosis. The monitoring platform enables radiation-free scoliosis assessments and digital models of the patient’s spine. With this real-time tracking of brace wear and scoliosis progression, clinicians have seen an increase in compliance and a reduced need for frequent in-person visits. Cedars-Sinai is planning to expand the program in 2026.

Easing and Expediting Access

The Cedars-Sinai Connect mobile app, launched two years ago, allows Californians to quickly and easily access Cedars-Sinai experts for sick, chronic and preventive care—24/7. In 2025, the AI tool—developed by K Health—expanded to support children and Spanish speakers in the state. While the mobile app brings ease and expedited access to patients, it also reduces administrative burdens like data entry, freeing up more time for clinicians to spend meaningful time with their patients.

The initial success of Cedars-Sinai Connect led investigators to study whether physicians or artificial intelligence offer better treatment recommendations for patients examined through a virtual urgent care setting. A 2025 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that initial AI recommendations for common complaints in an urgent care setting were rated higher than final physician recommendations.

While AI was shown to be better at identifying critical red flags, physicians were better at eliciting a more complete history from patients and adapting their recommendations accordingly.

Offering Hands-On Health AI Education

With the launch of Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University, new training programs in AI, big data and machine learning emerged.

The newly established PhD in Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) program earned accreditation from the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The program is the first in the U.S. to be embedded in a hospital and the first to combine interdisciplinary academic training with hands-on clinical data experience, giving students opportunities to develop AI solutions that could improve diagnostics, patient care and healthcare delivery.

Cedars-Sinai’s National AI Campus—a project-based learning program that brings together AI experts and students from various educational and professional levels—expanded in 2025 to include the first community college, L.A. Pierce College. The initiative addresses challenging problems in science and medicine using AI and machine learning and includes more than 80 partner institutions from 31 states.

Accelerating Research Discoveries

Cedars-Sinai’s research enterprise produced a swath of science in 2025, with dozens of studies focused on advancing the use of artificial intelligence in laboratories and clinics.

These studies included the use of AI to improve mental health therapy, the trending use of agentic AI, how AI can be used to improve drug safety and catch medication risks, potential bias in AI-generated treatments for psychiatric patients, and how the medical center is using synthetic data for clinical innovation.  

Teaching and Training to Ease Administrative Burdens

In 2025, the Enterprise Information Services (EIS) team appointed three key leaders to help implement tools and technologies that can reduce burdens among clinicians: a chief health informatics officer, chief nursing informatics officer and chief medical informatics officer.

The medical center also named the inaugural vice dean and chief artificial intelligence health research officer, who will oversee the newly created AI in Medicine Research Center. The center works collaboratively with the Research section of Enterprise Information Services to build and grow the clinical AI research innovation engine.

Through events like the Cedars-Sinai Prompt-A-Thon, employees worked alongside technical coaches and created their own custom AI prototypes, then optimized the solutions through several iterations of improvements and developed roadmaps for expanding the tools for broader uses.

Additionally, more than 1,000 colleagues were trained on AI prompting, and more than 6,000 users have opted in to use Cedars-Sinai’s proprietary GPT platform. These administrative opportunities aim to encourage the broad use of AI to better reduce inefficiencies and administrative burdens.  

Read more in Cedars-Sinai Discoveries: Cedars-Sinai Pioneers a New Era for AI Education

The new fund is Cedars-Sinai’s third international venture initiative, deepening the organization’s commitment to investing in novel healthcare technologies worldwide to enhance patient care. Cedars-Sinai leaders made the announcement in June at healthcare innovation conference HLTH Europe 2025.

“At Cedars-Sinai, we are dedicated to advancing innovations that improve patient care while making healthcare more efficient and cost effective. With Coronet Netherlands, we are building new global partnerships to access leading science, accelerate clinical translation and help bring breakthrough technologies to patients faster,” said James D. Laur, JD, chief executive of Intellectual Property and Health Ventures at Cedars-Sinai, and co-founder of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator.

Coronet Ventures Netherlands will focus on early-stage health technology and biomedical startups working on innovations targeted for the U.S. market, investing $50 million over the next decade. Through its relationship with Cedars-Sinai, the fund will be able to connect startups with vast clinical data to test and verify new technology, launch pilot programs and test products. Cedars-Sinai will likewise benefit from the innovations developed by the Dutch startups.

The fund is part of Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures, which accelerates the translation of research and early-stage innovations into real-world healthcare by connecting scientists, entrepreneurs and investors with the U.S. market—ultimately driving advancements that will benefit patients at Cedars-Sinai and around the world. It previously established two other international investment funds—Coronet Ventures and Coronet Ventures Singapore. Building partnerships is key to its mission.  

“This partnership allows us to create a platform with underlying capital that also offers deep clinical validation and commercialization support to help healthcare and biotechnology companies scale more quickly into the U.S.,” said Nirdesh K. Gupta, PhD, managing partner of Cedars-Sinai Intellectual Property Company.

The new venture fund builds on four years of collaboration between Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures and Dutch innovators. Since 2021, Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures has met with startups from the Netherlands to explore opportunities with the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator—a Technology Ventures subsidiary that supports early-stage companies with mentorship and a $100,000 investment.

Two Dutch startups have already participated in the accelerator program: HealthPlus.ai, which uses electronic health records and artificial intelligence to predict patients’ infection risk and assist with early medical intervention, and Syntho, which uses artificial intelligence to generate synthetic healthcare data used by medical researchers. Syntho has since completed a pilot program with Cedars-Sinai and is in discussions to collaborate with the organization’s Artificial Intelligence Lab.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Technology Transfer Office Success

The U.S. healthcare system continues to face significant challenges, including rising costs, workforce shortages, inefficiencies and the growing complexity of patient care. Cedars-Sinai is launching the Digital Innovation Platform to address these challenges by developing and scaling healthcare solutions that are clinically effective, operationally scalable and financially sustainable.

“Cedars-Sinai is uniquely positioned to develop new and innovative ways to fix some of the most pressing problems in healthcare today, thanks to our focus on translational medicine and our ability to bring together leading-edge clinical care, research, AI and strategic industry relationships to benefit our patients,” said Peter L. Slavin, MD, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai and the David and Meredith Kaplan Presidential Chair. “This bold approach and unique ecosystem will allow us to address healthcare challenges on a deeper level and move faster by collaborating with key partners to develop innovations that have been shown to work in real-world, clinical environments.”

Cedars-Sinai will leverage the scalable innovation model created by Redesign Health, a venture builder that has successfully launched more than 60 healthcare companies in the past seven years. Together, they will develop a sustainable innovation center by tapping the resources and network of an academic healthcare system. With this new platform, they hope to nurture a digital innovation ecosystem in Los Angeles to improve the delivery of high-value healthcare.

The Digital Innovation Platform will source external talent—healthcare business strategists, engineers, data scientists and others—who will leverage Cedars-Sinai’s internal clinical expertise and emerging technology to develop and scale new digital health solutions that address critical needs within the healthcare system. Cedars-Sinai is striving to identify solutions for personalized medicine, specialty care access, hospital workflow optimization, clinical decision support, and increased coordination among patients, providers and payers.

Cedars-Sinai clinicians, researchers and staff members will have the opportunity to participate in a new, structured entrepreneurship program to identify challenges in their everyday work that could be addressed through the Digital Innovation Platform. The program will focus on fostering a culture of entrepreneurship among staff members while providing guidance and mentorship to help them better recognize digital innovation opportunities. The newly formed companies will likewise benefit from the clinical expertise of Cedars-Sinai’s staff.

The Digital Innovation Platform will source experienced founders to lead the new companies, and Cedars-Sinai will be their first large-scale customer to validate solutions. Founders will gain access to an integrated data platform Cedars-Sinai is developing that uses deidentified, secure and synthetic data—artificial data that mimics real-world patterns. This enterprise tool will provide access to large, diverse datasets supplying critical infrastructure and insights. The data will facilitate the use of AI and other emerging technologies during the design of digital solutions while supporting development at every stage of company growth.

Founders will fine tune these digital solutions in a variety of real-world clinical settings at Cedars-Sinai, benefitting from the organization’s large network of providers, sites of care and strategic partnerships.

“We’re pleased to partner with Cedars-Sinai to launch transformative healthcare companies, combining our experience launching healthcare companies with their exceptional clinical expertise and longstanding dedication to driving innovation in healthcare,” said Brett Shaheen, founder and CEO of Redesign Health. “By harnessing Cedars-Sinai’s groundbreaking medical research, expansive provider network and clinical insights, we’re uniquely positioned to develop transformative businesses that not only address unmet needs but also shape the future of healthcare on a global scale.”

The partnership will lay the foundation for a sustainable model that brings together ideas, funding and clinical expertise to address some of healthcare’s most critical challenges through digital innovation.

“With the Digital Innovation Platform, we hope to catalyze a broader healthcare innovation ecosystem in Los Angeles—connecting universities, entrepreneurs, investors and other healthcare leaders to foster a thriving hub for digital health innovation,” Slavin said.

Read more on the Newsroom: AI Enhances Scoliosis Monitoring for Pediatric Patients

“I probably needed a walker,” said Carroll, 68. “It was that bad.”

An orthopedic surgeon near his home in Northern California recommended a spinal fusion, an invasive surgery in which vertebrae are joined together to stabilize the spine, reducing pain. Recovery can take many months.

“It seemed like a harsh solution,” Carroll said. “But if that was what I needed to get out of pain, I figured it was what I had to do.”

When a physician friend encouraged him to get another opinion, Carroll turned to the Cedars-Sinai Virtual Second Opinion program. It gives patients outside Los Angeles a convenient way to access—at home, from their computer—customized treatment options by the medical center’s experts.

Carroll was quickly connected with spine surgeon Sang Kim, MD, assistant professor of Orthopaedics and director of Orthopaedic Spine Trauma at Cedars-Sinai. Kim evaluated the imaging studies from Carroll’s original surgeon and then made a video call to Carroll to share his opinion about his treatment options.  

“Terry had a foraminal disc herniation—a ruptured disc in the foramen, an area where nerve roots exit the spine and go to different parts of the leg,” Kim said. “That was causing weakness and pain.”

Kim recommended an extraforaminal microdiscectomy—a minimally invasive procedure with a faster recovery time than that of spinal fusion. Instead of fusing vertebrae, he would remove the part of the disc pressing on the nerve root.

Carroll was able to pursue the second option, thanks to Kim's expertise.

“I routinely perform extraforaminal microdiscectomies at Cedars-Sinai, but they are not commonly performed everywhere,” Kim said. “Some surgeons are not as familiar or comfortable with the procedure.”

Carroll told his surgeon in Northern California he was going to Cedars-Sinai for treatment.

“He completely understood, and it was all very professional,” Carroll said.

The surgery was on a Friday, and Carroll walked out of Cedars-Sinai the next day.

“My recovery was almost immediate,” he said. “I had worried that the treatment wouldn’t be a silver bullet, but it was. My goal was to get my life back, and in the hands of a skilled surgeon, I did.”

Sticking With the Original Opinion

Some patients who seek a virtual second opinion at Cedars-Sinai decide to follow their original physician’s treatment plan.

For Barbara Pitcher, of Idaho, spinal stenosis—a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord—as well as scoliosis—an abnormal spine curvature—were causing hip and thigh pain.

“I’m a very active person and wanted to live my life,” she said.

Pitcher, a retired nurse, saw her local spine surgeon, who recommended a two-level fusion and discectomy. Before proceeding, Pitcher went online and found Cedars-Sinai’s Virtual Second Opinion program. She was encouraged to learn the medical center had a spinal stenosis specialist.

“This is exactly what I need,” Pitcher thought.

Right away, Pitcher was connected with Kim for an online consultation and a review of her MRI. Kim told Pitcher he agreed with the original surgeon’s treatment approach.

“I gave Barbara two options to consider,” Kim said, “but because she had scoliosis and spinal stenosis, I told her I felt fusion surgery was likely the best option for her.”

Pitcher said Kim relieved her anxiety about what to do.

“He was patient, answered every question and put my mind at ease,” she said. “Connecting with a specialist at a larger medical center that does many spine surgeries was great.”

Pitcher decided to have surgery in Idaho, for convenience. Her recovery has been smooth, and she is getting back to the outdoor activities she loves.

“A virtual second opinion from an expert fills the need of people like me who live in a rural area and would like a bit more direction,” Pitcher said. 

Building Trust, Near and Far

Through Virtual Second Opinion, Kim often meets patients like Carroll and Pitcher who live in rural areas and may not have access to a wide range of specialists.

“I feel like I’m making a big difference for these patients,” Kim said. “Sometimes they just need reassurance that the treatment they are considering in their local area is right for them, and I’m happy to provide that.

“Another advantage is the video portion of the Cedars-Sinai second opinion. It helps patients and physicians immediately start to build a rapport in that first virtual meeting. Patients feel comfortable saying, ‘I trust this person to take care of me.’”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Virtual Second Opinion—Here's What to Know

To initiate the ongoing collaboration, Cedars-Sinai Intellectual Property Company and OSE have invested $2 million in Neu Health, a startup from the University of Oxford. The London-based organization offers a digital smartphone-based neurology-care platform to improve outcomes for Parkinson’s disease and dementia patients. This investment follows Neu Health’s participation in Cedars-Sinai’s 10th Accelerator program last year.

“The research produced at Oxford is of the highest caliber,” said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Medicine and Health Sciences and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai. “We are delighted to further pursue this ongoing relationship with OSE, which will serve our patients and strengthen the academic and clinical missions of Cedars-Sinai.”

The Neu Health platform, backed by more than a decade of research and clinical validation by University of Oxford, includes a patient app linked to a care team dashboard. The platform uses unique data and artificial intelligence to translate motor and non-motor symptoms as well as cognitive and mental health abilities into objective, actionable information for clinicians. With increasing usage in the United Kingdom, the company will pilot its digital platform at Cedars-Sinai to expand and enter the United States market. The first 150 neurology patients are expected to start using the Neu Health app soon as part of the six-month pilot program.

“We are excited to strengthen our relationship with Cedars-Sinai, given our shared commitment to commercializing world-leading research and building innovative businesses,” said Heather Roxborough, PhD, senior partner of Health Tech at Oxford Science Enterprises. “This partnership plays a critical role in accelerating our entry into the United States market, providing our companies access to invaluable commercial and clinical insights and the opportunity to test our healthcare technologies.”

Through the strategic partnership, the two respected organizations aim to foster the growth of innovative health-tech startups, expand U.S. and U.K. market reach and plan future alliances on both sides of the Atlantic.  

"Investing in the research and technology coming out of Oxford through our partnership with Oxford Science Enterprises is the beginning of what we hope will become a long and fruitful relationship," said James D. Laur, JD, chief executive of Cedars-Sinai Intellectual Property Company. "Together, we can work on furthering Cedars-Sinai’s mission of providing patients around the world the best care possible.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Technology Transfer Office Success

The distinction, announced by Computerworld, recognizes organizations like Cedars-Sinai that challenge their information technology teams while providing top-tier benefits and compensation.

Computerworld’s annual ranking of the top work environments for technology professionals is based on company offerings in categories such as benefits; career development; diversity, equity and inclusion; future of work; training; and retention. Within the “large” category—those organizations with more than 5,000 employees—63 made the “Best Places to Work” list, with Cedars-Sinai first on the list. 

“Our Enterprise Information Services team is honored to again be recognized and we are especially proud to have taken the highest spot this year,” said Craig Kwiatkowski, PharmD, senior vice president and chief information officer at Cedars-Sinai. “With over 600 dedicated employees, our team is deeply committed to advancing patient care and research, using technology to innovate and achieve exceptional outcomes.”

The Enterprise Information Services team has played a pivotal role in enabling Cedars-Sinai’s success, leading the implementation, integration and optimization of information systems across the health system. Through its strategic expertise and seamless execution, Cedars-Sinai has been consistently recognized as a leader in information technology.

In October, Cedars-Sinai also earned the highest level of recognition from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives as part of the organization’s annual Digital Health Most Wired Survey, which evaluates the technological capabilities of healthcare organizations.

In the program’s 25-year history, Cedars-Sinai is one of only four health systems worldwide that has earned the top-tier classification of Level 10 status five times.

“Our winning companies are committed to keeping their tech workforce happy and engaged—which means going beyond raises, perks and promotions to offer opportunities for upskilling and training on cutting-edge and emerging technologies,” said Barbara Call, global director of content strategy at Foundry, the publisher of Computerworld.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom: Cedars-Sinai Honored for Digital Excellence With Prestigious ‘Most Wired’ Award

“Participants will explore crucial topics such as regulatory requirements, intellectual property best practices, the role of internal review boards, and legal considerations for international companies,” said James D. Laur, JD, chief intellectual property officer at Cedars-Sinai. “Our goal is for these companies to end the week with an awareness of the complex environment that healthcare solutions need to navigate in order to enter the U.S. market.”

Participating companies will have the opportunity to learn from members of Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures group, which brings medical innovations to the global marketplace by directing the commercial development of research through long-term relationships with industry partners and investors. The team’s goal is to advance healthcare solutions and improve the health and wellbeing of patients.

As a complement to the work of Technology Ventures, the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator supports the growth and development of early-stage companies focused on improving healthcare and healthcare delivery. Mentors from this program will also interact with these Singapore-based companies to provide guidance and support to help them understand what it takes to develop and scale innovative companies in the U.S. market.

Also offering guidance throughout the innovation week event is co-host Coronet Ventures, Cedars-Sinai Intellectual Property Company’s Singapore-based investment vehicle, which focuses on advancing the development of early-stage health and biomedical startups in Singapore.

“The event is often a pivotal point in a company’s trajectory, and we are eager to see what will be unearthed during our latest innovation week,” said Nirdesh K. Gupta, PhD, managing director of Cedars-Sinai’s Technology Ventures and the accelerator, and CEO of Coronet Ventures.

Gupta said Coronet Ventures aims to invest in 12 to 15 startups over the next five years, with financial support ranging from $500,000 to $5 million.

Enterprise Singapore, a government agency dedicated to supporting the growth of Singapore enterprises, will also participate in the Cedars-Sinai event, as it has been a longtime supporter of Coronet Ventures.

“The U.S. has the largest healthcare market in the world and offers vast opportunities for emerging biomedical startups,” said Clarice Chen, PhD, director of Healthcare and Biomedical at Enterprise Singapore. “The nation also has a mature ecosystem that offers access to leading healthcare companies, FDA [Food and Drug Administration] approval, clinical trials, and venture capital. We are pleased to collaborate with Cedars-Sinai to assist Singapore startups in navigating the healthcare landscape and establishing their footprint in the U.S.”

The 11 participating companies are: 

• BluMaiden Biosciences is an artificial intelligence-guided (AI-guided) drug discovery company providing actionable clinical insights to enhance clinical trial decision-making through its Pharma Service, and identifying licensable small molecule drugs via its flagship platform MAIDENTM.
   
• Carecam is redefining therapeutics by creating digital biomarkers from human body motion to enable early interventions and deliver personalized care for neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
   
• HiCura develops AI ultrasound guidance software for interventional radiology procedures.
   
• Kinexcs is an AI-driven digital health platform and wearables company with a mission to enable and empower people for mobility and a better quality of life.
   
• Kronikare is revolutionizing chronic wound care with early detection and efficiency. The AI-powered KroniKare Wound Scanner sets a new standard in healthcare technology.
   
• KYAN Technologies has a novel technology platform that combines small data AI and biological experiments in order to support clinicians to truly personalize treatment for their cancer patients and also work with pharmaceutical companies to efficiently discover drug-dose combinations.
   
• NalaGenetics develops next-generation genomic interpretation for germline sequencing, focusing on diverse populations. The company combines monogenic risk, polygenic risk, and clinical/epigenetic risk, and suggests personalized prevention strategies for cancer, cardiometabolic disorders, psychiatry, and neurodegenerative conditions.
   
• NousQ is developing the world's first robotic, handheld, automated device that inserts ear tympanostomy tubes with just one click, thus facilitating in-clinic/local anesthesia surgery instead of the usual operating theater and general anesthesia surgery. This increases affordability, adoption and access.
   
• Pedra Technology’s perfusion monitor is a Food and Drug Administration-designated breakthrough device that provides precision guidance during endovascular procedures to treat critical limb-threatening ischemia, with early U.K. data showing the potential for reducing readmission and amputation rates.
   
• Qritive designs and deploys AI-powered solutions that enable histopathologic diagnosis of cancer at scale, resulting in improved patient outcome and better health equity.
   
• TIIM Healthcare is revolutionizing cardiac triage through AI-powered software, enabling doctors to assess chest pain patients with speed, enhanced accuracy and confidence.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: How AI Is Born: Patient Needs Drive Development

Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures brings these medical innovations to the global marketplace by directing the commercial development of research through long-term relationships with industry partners and investors—all with the goal of advancing healthcare solutions and improving the health and wellbeing of patients.

From opportunities across biological technology, medical technology and digital health solutions focused on precision medicine, the human microbiome and cell therapy, the multidisciplinary Technology Ventures team collaborates with clinicians across the health system and worldwide to ensure that the technologies will meet the medical needs of patients facing various diseases and conditions.

Technology Ventures is led by James D. Laur, JD, chief intellectual property officer at Cedars-Sinai. The team manages a portfolio of more than 500 technologies in various stages of development, oversees more than 1,100 patents, and has generated more than $1 billion in technology transfer revenue over the past five years.

The Technology Ventures enterprise includes the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator, which engages with early-stage health-tech startups. Nirdesh K. Gupta, PhD, managing director of Technology Ventures and managing director of the Accelerator, is at the helm of leading the growth and development of early-stage technologies and companies focused on improving healthcare.

Through Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures and the complementary Health Ventures fund, Cedars-Sinai invests in new technologies and early-stage companies whose research and technologies hold the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare in more efficient and cost-effective ways.

Laur and Gupta sat down with the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom to discuss how they are working to transform healthcare quality, efficiency, and care delivery by helping entrepreneurs bring their innovative technology products to market.

What is the mission of Technology Ventures?

Laur: Technology Ventures enables healthcare technologies and startup companies that enhance and amplify Cedars-Sinai’s mission of delivering quality healthcare. We want to be at the forefront of driving innovations in the healthcare industry and have a positive voice as a thought leader and partner for the various solutions.

Gupta: As a hospital, we have the unique advantage of being closest to the patients, allowing us to understand the complex challenges of healthcare in an intimate way. We see opportunity for innovation and better solutions with every patient treated within our health system. As these inventions are commercialized, profits are reinvested into Cedars-Sinai, supporting its ongoing research programs and clinical infrastructure.

Tell us more about the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator.

Gupta: The Cedars-Sinai Accelerator supports the growth and development of early-stage companies focused on improving healthcare and healthcare delivery. We help entrepreneurs by providing mentorship, guidance and support to help them develop and scale innovative companies. The goal is to fast-track the development of the next generation of ideas that will transform patient care at Cedars-Sinai and beyond.

How do medical professionals work with you?

Laur: We encourage investigators to view us as partners in taking their dreams and turning them into reality. We ask them to bring us any idea, regardless of how rough or ready it may be. We then vet the idea to confirm a viable path to protect it. After that, we work with investigators to test the feasibility of the idea. Our support extends through the intellectual property protection process, preclinical and clinical development phases, regulatory submissions and approvals, product pilots, commercialization through licensing or startups, and all the way through global partnerships.

The idea is to identify all innovations and inventions from within our medical center and support the path to commercialize them domestically and globally.

How do companies and organizations partner with you?

Gupta: Working with outside companies and organizations to develop new healthcare advances is complementary to our ongoing work within Cedars-Sinai. We have built a robust pipeline to promote innovation across channels—including those outside of our health system—and have multiple avenues where internal innovation meets external innovation. Receiving buy-in from all relevant stakeholders within our internal and external systems allows us to approach each innovative idea with a holistic viewpoint.  

Does this work extend beyond the United States?

Gupta: We are actively working toward the creation of an international alliance of world-renowned institutes to foster a multilateral exchange of ideas and solutions. For example, we have built a strong network of partners in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

These partnerships allow us to bring best-in-class, external innovations to Cedars-Sinai, while also providing us with access to international markets and international healthcare solutions.

Tell us about a recent success.

Laur: A recent success is also our largest success story and the most gratifying. Prometheus Biosciences was a spinoff company established in 2016 to continue the development of a new therapeutic for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) developed by a team of clinician-scientists at Cedars-Sinai. In addition to working with the investigators at Cedars-Sinai to de-risk and focus the intellectual property around the invention, over time, based on our conviction that the technology had promise to address an unmet patient need, we invested $40 million into the company even when outside investors were reluctant to take the risk. We collaborated with a team of medical experts and seasoned entrepreneurs who shared our vision for the company as a vehicle to bring the new IBD therapeutic to the market.

It took us seven years of perseverance through the highs and the lows, but our commitment to developing a better treatment for IBD patients kept us focused. Prometheus Biosciences was sold to Merck in June of 2023 for nearly $11 billion, a portion of which came back to Cedars-Sinai—a truly amazing example of how the Technology Ventures group carried out Cedars-Sinai’s mission of bringing research from the lab to the real world.

Gupta: It was the first such success at this scale seen in technology transfer offices around the world and validated our unique approach to bring new inventions to the market. We endeavor to continue working on such challenging, yet high-impact projects to improve patient outcomes. With more than 500 technologies in our portfolio, we have several more successes waiting in the pipeline.

Read more from the Cedars-Sinai Blog: A Technology Transfer Office Success

Parents of children 3 to 17 years old can now access Cedars-Sinai healthcare providers for urgent issues, including cough, cold, flu or rash.

• Parents can choose on-demand visits 24/7 or a scheduled visit 7 a.m.-9 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekends for their sick child.
• A child’s existing pediatrician is kept in the loop through the Cedars-Sinai electronic health record.

Spanish-speaking adults and parents of children 3 and older can now choose a Spanish-language app experience.

• Spanish-speaking healthcare providers are available for scheduled visits 7 a.m.-9 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekends.
• Translators can support patients seeking on-demand care 24/7 if a Spanish-speaking provider is not available.
• Spanish-speaking adults can access primary care in their preferred language to manage chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, anxiety, depression and obesity.

“Cedars-Sinai Connect has already helped thousands of new and existing patients easily access the high-quality care for which Cedars-Sinai is known, from home,” said Jill Martin, executive vice president of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. “The platform is helping us extend that opportunity to even more people throughout California who are coming to Cedars-Sinai for convenient acute or chronic care. These patients also gain access to our broad network of specialists through referrals when appropriate.”

The new care options for children and Spanish speakers build on Cedars-Sinai Connect’s initial success. Since the platform launched in fall 2023, it has helped more than 8,000 patients from San Diego to Sacramento access Cedars-Sinai care through more than 10,500 virtual visits.

“Patients have come to rely on Cedars-Sinai Connect as a convenient way to access Cedars-Sinai expert care and a comprehensive primary care experience,” said Caroline Goldzweig, MD, chief medical officer of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. “Our unique hybrid model not only offers high-quality virtual care, but it is fully integrated into a top-tier academic health system, making it easier to coordinate care and share a patient’s health records with all of their providers.” 

Cedars-Sinai Connect harnesses AI technology developed by K Health to reduce administrative burdens such as data entry, freeing doctors to focus more time on patient care. K Health helps patients manage their acute, chronic and preventive care needs through its platform that harnesses medical knowledge and real patient experiences.

“Cedars-Sinai Connect is one of the first integrated clinical care apps of its kind that is successfully using technology and care model innovation to address significant pain points—particularly access and quality—in healthcare in the U.S.,” said Ran Shaul, co-founder and chief product officer of K Health. “By combining K Health’s virtual care model with Cedars-Sinai’s high-quality clinical care, our partnership gives Cedars-Sinai greater digital capability while expanding access to expert care across California.”

Martin added that with pediatric care and Spanish-speaking doctors now available, “Cedars-Sinai Connect is furthering our collective goals of tying together in-person and virtual care, reducing wait times and addressing primary care needs for as many Californians as possible, helping Cedars-Sinai advance health equity.” 

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Women’s Heart Health | The Virtues of a Virtual Second Opinion

, the official journal of the American Medical Extended Reality Association (AMXRA) and the world’s first peer-reviewed publication focused on extended reality.

MXR represents the intersection of healthcare and immersive technology, including virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications across a wide range of medical specialties, designed to extend or enhance the medical experience.

As technology has advanced in the past 30 years, research in this field has broadened considerably with some applications gaining recognition from regulatory bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and others becoming standard healthcare practice.

“Even with more than 20,000 MXR studies published to date, the field lacked a universal language—a way to classify and communicate the diverse research and breakthroughs happening around the globe,” said Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, professor of Medicine, director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai and first and corresponding author of the study. “Our study addresses this crucial gap by introducing a detailed framework that categorizes the vast array of research and applications within MXR.”

Spiegel, editor-in-chief of the journal, said the taxonomy’s purpose is to categorize existing work and provide a framework for future research, development and discussion.

The initial taxonomy outlines five core domains, encompassing 13 primary topics and 180 secondary topics. These guidelines offer a tool for researchers, practitioners, funders, industry, and other groups to systematically classify and navigate the complexities of the field. Due to the constantly evolving nature of MXR, the taxonomy is a “living document,” Spiegel said, requiring future modifications and expansions in response to new developments and insights.

Experts were selected to participate in the development of the taxonomy based on their track record for MXR-related publications and contributions to the field as well as their international and multidisciplinary perspectives. Additionally, Spiegel shared a draft taxonomy on X (formerly Twitter) to solicit feedback from the general community with a goal to ensure a thorough and inclusive approach.  

“The field of MXR is now a legitimate, stand-alone field of medicine that requires a comprehensive, standardized framework and common language to support its continued growth,” said Paul W. Noble, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. “The work Dr. Spiegel and his expert collaborators have put into defining this dynamic field is astounding.”

Another Cedars-Sinai author involved in the study is Omer Liran, MD, MHDS. Additional authors include Albert Rizzo, PhD; Susan Persky, PhD; Brenda Wiederhold, PhD, MBA; Susan Woods, MD, MPH; Kate Donovan, PhD; Korak Sarkar, MD, MHDS; Henry Xiang, MD, MPH, PhD, MBA; Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn, PHD; Rohan Jotwani, MD, MBA; Min Lang, MD, MSc; Margot Paul, PsyD; Mike Senter-Zapata, MD; Keith Widmeier, BA, NRP; and Mark Zhang, DO.

Conflicts of Interest: Spiegel and Liran are co-founders of VRx Health.

Funding: No funding was received for this article.

Read more from Cedars-Sinai Discoveries Magazine: Virtual Reality and the Brain-Body Connection

Imagine a world in which the digital watch on your wrist tracks not only your step count, but also your blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. Then, the watch automatically sends a personalized health snapshot to your physician, alerting them to early signs of disease.

That scenario could become reality in the near future, according to Joseph Schwab, MD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Center for Surgical Innovation and Engineering, who is leading innovative research in wearable healthcare technologies.

Schwab, also Cedars-Sinai’s director of Spine Oncology for Orthopaedic Surgery, will present the latest trends in his research about wearable health technology during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Feb. 12-16. During the conference, Schwab also will participate in the President’s Symposium, sharing insights on generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT. He also will discuss healthcare privacy issues that can occur with these technologies.

The Cedars-Sinai Newsroom sat down with Schwab to discuss the scope of his research and how he sees AI impacting the future of healthcare.

What makes your lab different from other research facilities?

My co-director, Hamid Ghaednia, PhD, is a mechanical engineer and our lab is unique in the sense that it is heavily engineering-based. A lot of what we are doing day to day is building things. So rather than test tubes and microscopes, we have lathes and band saws. We have several 3D printers and a whole room dedicated to electronics, where we solder devices together. The research team’s engineering expertise is a key differentiator, and our clinical and engineering partnership is distinctive to what we do. Not only do we have the equipment, but we have the know-how to go with it.

We are one of the few research facilities in the country where we can identify a clinical need, discuss it, come up with a potential solution, build that solution and begin testing, all within one center.

What are a few of the innovations you’re working on?

Our focus area is wearable devices. Consumer wearables on the market are essentially motion trackers. They may have an accelerometer or gyroscope that can simply measure your position or motion to track steps and other data. What we’re doing is different in that our devices are sending energy—in the form of light, electrical energy and sound—into the tissues, and we can measure that energy as it leaves the tissue, and we can deduce things based on how the energy was affected by the tissue.

For example, when you are at the doctor and they use a reflex hammer above your knee to test for a reflex reaction, they are only able to identify the presence or absence of the reflex. Instead, wearable devices that we are developing can quantitate the reflex response—things like how long it took to respond, the robustness of the response, etc. We can give a very specific number connotation to these data points, which we hope will translate into better diagnoses.

How is AI used in the work you do?

The sensors on our wearable devices receive an incredible amount of data from the energy after it has traveled through the tissue, which requires advanced computing power to interpret. At its core, AI is just that—very advanced mathematics and computer programming. We utilize AI to interpret the data captured and correlate it to clinical problems.

Separate from our wearable technologies, we are also able to use AI to make predictions on a smaller scale for use in clinical practice, such as interpreting electronic health data. For instance, a patient may be considering a procedure that has a 5% risk of complication for the whole population; however, using AI to interpret their personal health information, we may learn that their individual complication risk is closer to 25%. This could heavily impact their decision-making. Giving more precise predictions like this is a form of personalized medicine.

Who can benefit from these new technologies?

These technologies can truly benefit everyone across the healthcare spectrum. Patients whose health data is analyzed could receive more personalized care. They could be directed to more precise tests to get an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatments, for example, and may ultimately have better outcomes.

There’s even the potential for a positive impact on healthcare payers and insurance companies by making the right treatment decisions, and thus reducing health expenditures. There are so many opportunities and benefits.  

Where do you see this field headed in the next five to 10 years?

In my opinion, it won’t be too long before we stop using the terms artificial intelligence and machine learning altogether because it will just be integrated into everything we do, running in the background as common practice. It will no longer be a mystery.

As it relates to wearable technologies, I see these becoming part of the expected process of medical assessments. There is the opportunity to learn so much more through these devices than you would glean from a basic physical examination, and the data can be captured in advance of a patient even seeing the provider. A medical appointment can become much more accurate and efficient when the provider has already been able to review and interpret the data collected.

Wearable technology and the integration of AI into the consumption and delivery of healthcare is only going to continue to grow with time, and I think people will become very comfortable and begin to rely on these devices in a good way.

Read more from Cedars-Sinai Discoveries Magazine: Artificial Intelligence Advances

, which supports the growth and development of early-stage companies focused on improving healthcare and healthcare delivery. ScaleNL and NBSO Los Angeles—two support initiatives of the Dutch government—are also collaborating with Cedars-Sinai on the program.

“This streamlined and curated program is designed to provide the Dutch startups with insights into the complicated U.S. healthcare system and offer a glimpse into the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator,” said James Laur, JD, vice president of Intellectual Property at Cedars-Sinai. “We are looking forward to sharing our expertise with these select 10 companies and appreciate the strong relationship we have with the vibrant startup ecosystem in the Netherlands.”

In the mini-accelerator program, participants will engage in specialized sessions with Cedars-Sinai clinicians and hospital executives. The sessions will cover topics ranging from U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, clinical trials, electronic medical record integration and venture capital. Participating companies will also receive one-on-one mentorship from Cedars-Sinai physicians and executive leaders.

Participants will experience a comprehensive sample of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator’s flagship three-month program—which is currently recruiting startup companies for its 10th class.

Dirk Janssen, Consul General of the Netherlands, said the country is a European leader in healthcare technology.

“Dutch innovation is characterized by its ambition to contribute to positive societal change,” Janssen said. “We’re excited and honored that these Dutch technology startups get the opportunity to learn and grow with Cedars-Sinai, a world leader in healthcare. This unique collaboration between Cedars-Sinai, ScaleNL and NBSO Los Angeles shows the strong ties between the Netherlands and the U.S. and benefits our societies and economies at large.”

The 10 participating Dutch corporations are Cardiomo, Healthplus.ai, Hemeo BV, inBiome, IPD, Loop Robotics, Manometric, MLA Diagnostics, Preimure and QurieGen.

The Netherlands HealthTech Mini-Accelerator 2024 Program is the product of the continuing partnership between Cedars-Sinai and the healthcare community in the Netherlands, a connection with the shared mission of improving healthcare around the globe.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: DIY Pandemic Supply

The application—called Xaia, for eXtended-Reality Artificially Intelligent Ally—expands access to mental health support for patients, furthering Cedars-Sinai’s mission to elevate the health of communities it serves in Los Angeles and beyond.

Cedars-Sinai investigators created Xaia as a way to offer patients self-administered, AI-enabled, conversational therapy in relaxing spatial environments such as a creek-side meadow or a sunny beach retreat where patients also can do deep breathing exercises and meditation.

The Xaia application offers users an immersive therapy session led by a trained digital avatar, programmed to simulate a human therapist.

“Apple Vision Pro offers a gateway into Xaia’s world of immersive, interactive behavioral health support—making strides that I can only describe as a quantum leap beyond previous technologies,” said Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, professor of Medicine, director of Health Services Research at Cedars-Sinai and co-founder of the Xaia technology. “With Xaia and the stunning display in Apple Vision Pro, we are able to leverage every pixel of that remarkable resolution and the full spectrum of vivid colors to craft a form of immersive therapy that’s engaging and deeply personal.”

While developing the app for Apple Vision Pro, Spiegel said, his Cedars-Sinai team reimagined how spatial computing can support behavioral health and overall wellbeing in ways never before possible.

Omer Liran, MD, a psychiatrist at Cedars-Sinai and co-founder of Xaia, says the app represents a transformative step in making quality therapy accessible to all.

“Apple Vision Pro has allowed us to create a platform where technology fades into the background and the user's healing journey comes to the forefront,” Liran said. “This application is a culmination of years of rigorous research, clinical expertise and a vision to democratize mental wellness in a way that respects the uniqueness of every individual's experience. Using the powerful capabilities of Vision Pro, we’re now able to bring this experience to life with its full potential.”

Before the launch of Apple Vision Pro, the Xaia technology was featured in a first-of-its-kind study published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Digital Medicine. Findings from the study showed Xaia as both beneficial and safe for patient use.

To develop Xaia, Spiegel and Liran enlisted the support of Cedars-Sinai’s Technology Ventures—the enterprise that protects and supports the commercialization of discoveries and technologies. Technology Ventures also facilitates access to promising inventions—like Xaia—that improve the quality of life for patients around the world.

The managing director of Cedars-Sinai’s Technology Ventures, Nirdesh Gupta, PhD, said that ideas developed in an academic medical center environment like Cedars-Sinai offer a one-of-a-kind perspective—focused both on advancing research and expediting clinical care needs.

James Laur, JD, vice president of Intellectual Property at Cedars-Sinai, echoed that sentiment.

“The hospital ecosystem is at the heart of care delivery, and Cedars-Sinai has the unique advantage of being closest to the patients and their varying needs,” said Laur. “Xaia is the result of several years of support and funding, and we are elated to see the technology come to life in this meaningful and clinically relevant way.”

Conflicts of Interest: Spiegel and Liran are co-founders of VRx Health. The Xaia technology is exclusively licensed from Cedars-Sinai to VRx Health for commercialization.

Read more from the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Virtual Reality and the Brain-Body Connection

The institute’s specialists from the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center are available to offer a convenient and customized second opinion via an easy-to-use online platform, giving women an opportunity to verify a diagnosis and explore treatment options, empowering them to make informed healthcare decisions.

Research shows that women with heart disease don’t always experience the same symptoms as men, making them vulnerable to being misdiagnosed. Led by women’s heart disease pioneer Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, cardiologists in the Virtual Second Opinion program specialize in evaluating how sex and gender differences affect heart health and recommend treatment options with those unique differences in mind.

Heart conditions common to women include coronary microvascular dysfunction, coronary vasospasm, familial dyslipidemias, myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA), novel cardiovascular disease risk factors, spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Women who have genetic markers associated with an increased risk of heart disease, or those with a history of heart conditions who do not currently have symptoms, also are eligible to receive a preventive cardiology virtual second opinion from Cedars-Sinai, ranked best in California and #2 in the U.S. for Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2023-2024.”

The Cedars-Sinai Newsroom spoke with the top women’s heart specialists to discuss how some heart conditions affect women differently and how a virtual second opinion can help.  

Tell us about coronary microvascular dysfunction.

Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center and director of the Linda Joy Pollin Women’s Heart Health Program in the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai: Coronary microvascular dysfunction is a type of heart disease in which there is abnormal blood flow in the tiny vessels in the heart. It can occur in men, but it’s more prevalent in women and affects women differently. Despite increased awareness of the condition, there is still much to discover. But the good news is that more education into sex and gender differences is becoming more prevalent in the cardiology field. And of course, the Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation study, an ongoing multicenter study that I am leading, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is helping change the way physicians approach heart disease in women.  

Why do women with heart disease often face problems getting diagnosed and treated?

Martha Gulati, MD, director of Preventive Cardiology and associate director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Cardiac Center in the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai: Multiple studies have shown that women often receive suboptimal treatment by their healthcare providers simply because some providers are not aware that heart disease symptoms in women are often different from those in men. For example, although 90% of men and women report having chest pain or pressure before a heart attack, women are more likely to experience additional symptoms, including profound fatigue, shortness of breath, jaw pain and shoulder pain. As a result, there is a real need for access to specialized cardiology experts for a virtual second opinion, especially for women. Many people are not aware that 2 in 3 American women have at least one risk factor for heart disease, and that 12 times as many women die of heart disease every year as die from breast cancer.

What is MINOCA—one of the conditions for which women can request a virtual second opinion from Cedars-Sinai?

Janet Wei, MD, associate medical director of the Biomedical Imaging Research Institute and co-director of the Stress Echocardiography Lab in the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai: MINOCA is a heart attack that primarily affects women, and it’s caused by poor blood flow to the heart despite having no major blockage in the main arteries. One troubling aspect of MINOCA is that often when we diagnose a heart attack, we rely on a coronary angiogram to tell us if there’s a big blockage in the coronary arteries. So, with MINOCA, the angiogram can look normal because we don’t see a blocked artery, and then patients don’t know why they had a heart attack. Compared to heart attacks with obstructive coronary artery disease, MINOCA patients are more likely to be female and younger, and they’re also more likely to be Black or Hispanic/Latino. It's important that women—and providers—know that heart attacks can occur for a variety of reasons, and that the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease does not mean it’s not a heart attack.

The Virtual Second Opinion Process

Patients can request a Virtual Second Opinion by answering a few questions on the Cedars-Sinai website. They are then connected with a nurse coordinator who conducts a detailed interview and collects all necessary medical records.

Participants are then matched with a Cedars-Sinai physician with specialized expertise. The physician provides a detailed second-opinion report with an analysis of each participant’s past medical history and their previous doctor’s recommendations. The report also provides detailed answers to three questions participants can ask during enrollment. 

Participants also can take advantage of a live, virtual, 30-minute education session—from the comfort of their home—with their Cedars-Sinai expert to review the findings, ask additional questions and discuss actionable next steps.

Cedars-Sinai’s Virtual Second Opinion Program is available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New York, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and Washington. 

Read more from the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom: First Lady Jill Biden Tours Cedars-Sinai Women’s Health Research Labs, Training Center

Through the new virtual healthcare option Cedars-Sinai Connect, healthcare professionals are available 24/7 for urgent issues, and same-day appointments are accessible for primary care—reducing wait times for those seeking medical attention.

“Cedars-Sinai Connect is a natural extension of the high-quality care Cedars-Sinai already provides to patients in person,” said Jill Martin, executive vice president of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. “What could be more convenient than getting the care you need when you need it—in the palm of your hand—in your home or office?”

The new mobile app harnesses AI technology developed by K Health that empowers physicians by reducing the burdens of clinical intake and data entry, allowing doctors to focus more on patient care. K Health helps patients manage their acute, chronic and preventive care needs through a platform that harnesses medical knowledge and real patient experiences. K Health and Cedars-Sinai developed Cedars-Sinai Connect through a new joint venture.

The partnership gives new and existing patients expanded treatment options for a broad range of medical conditions from a dedicated team of virtual care providers. The app’s chat feature gathers health details and symptoms from patients to help assess their medical concerns and  presents that information to a clinician for review. This streamlines the intake process so providers can focus more on patient care. After the guided intake, patients can choose to connect with a clinician for an appointment via video call.

Cedars-Sinai Connect will accept all forms of insurance that Cedars-Sinai takes, including employer-provided plans.

“Patient care plans and visit information are integrated into the Cedars-Sinai health record, making it easy for patients to move between online and in-person care in a coordinated way, and for patients to access our broader network of specialists when needed,” said Caroline Goldzweig, MD, chief medical officer of Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. “This new platform will help us expand and enhance care for patients across California.”

K Health’s founders said the partnership with Cedars-Sinai will give patients greater access to world-class medical expertise, empowering people to take charge of their health by choosing when and where they get care.

“We’re excited to work with Cedars-Sinai, an esteemed institution that shares our vision to provide people with unfettered access to exceptional medical care around the clock,” said Ran Shaul, the company’s co-founder and chief product officer. “By fusing K Health’s technology with Cedars-Sinai’s renowned care, we are advancing primary care delivery by extending essential services to a wider spectrum of people in need while alleviating physician burnout.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Virtual Second Opinion | Here’s What to Know

Spiegel is well known as a leader in medical extended reality, or MXR, a new field of medicine focused on using technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), to treat patients with a range of conditions. He has published seminal studies in MXR through his research at Cedars-Sinai, with a focus on using VR to help manage pain and anxiety. 

The new, open-access and peer-reviewed research journal will be the official journal of the American Medical Extended Reality Association (AMXRA) and will cover virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality research, alongside that of other emerging technologies. The first articles are scheduled to be published in January 2024.

“The significance of the Journal of Medical Extended Reality (JMXR) lies in our collective pursuit of unlocking the potential of MXR, while ensuring rigorous scientific scrutiny and the highest standards of evidence-based research,” said Spiegel. “The journal will serve as an essential catalyst to clinicians, researchers, technologists and policymakers for the accelerated growth of medical XR, promoting critical dialogue, ethical considerations, and the dissemination of invaluable expertise.”

At Cedars-Sinai, Spiegel, the George and Dorothy Gourrich Chair in Digital Health Ethics and director of Health Services Research, created the Virtual Medicine Program dedicated to studying XR in medicine.

“The Cedars-Sinai program offers education, clinical care, and research into virtual reality and other extended reality technologies,” said Spiegel. “As part of that program, we’ve treated over 3,000 patients with different forms of virtual reality and are actively developing new programs for conditions ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to anxiety.” Cedars-Sinai is also home to the annual Virtual Medicine Conference, a leading symposium advancing the science of medical extended reality.

With the launch of JMXR, Spiegel hopes to foster collaborations among a wide range of professionals developing MXR hardware and software programs, including physicians, computer scientists, engineers and psychologists, among others. His goal with the journal is to stimulate innovative approaches, promote evidence-based practices, and drive the adoption of extended reality technologies in healthcare settings around the world.

“Dr. Spiegel is well poised to accelerate his national leadership in this rapidly evolving field of medicine,” said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai. “His impactful research in the field of extended reality will be immeasurably accelerated with the launch of this journal.”

 Read more from Discoveries: Virtual Reality and the Brain-Body Connection

The philanthropy of the Gourrich Foundation will strengthen and galvanize Spiegel’s pioneering studies in digital health innovation. The late George Gourrich, MD, and his wife Dorothy have been loyal supporters of Cedars-Sinai—Dr. Gourrich practiced internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai for most of his storied career spanning five decades.

Spiegel is a widely-respected authority in gastroenterology and health technology, spearheading groundbreaking research in digital health and the use of virtual reality to help patients manage pain and anxiety. His research shows that using virtual reality environments can help relieve discomfort and support positive emotions. Earlier this year, Spiegel gained widespread attention for his theory that gravity may be a causative factor for irritable bowel syndrome, the most common gastrointestinal disorder.  

“I thank the Gourrich family for their incredible vision and legacy in supporting our research at Cedars-Sinai,” Spiegel said. “We’re working to find ways to deploy digital technologies in ways that are equitable and cost effective so that all populations can benefit from them.”

Ethics, Spiegel adds, factor prominently in these developing technologies. “As we unlock new methods of treating patients, particularly with massive advances in artificial intelligence, we must ensure that these technologies are used in an ethical and equitable manner,” he said.

Spiegel’s work has helped broaden a new field of medicine called Medical Extended Reality, or MXR, in which doctors use immersive tools like virtual reality goggles to help treat a patient’s pain, anxiety, depression and other medical conditions.

Spiegel leads the Cedars-Sinai Center for Outcomes Research and Education, a multidisciplinary team investigating the clinical uses of digital health technologies—from wearable biosensors and smartphone applications to social media. Spiegel and his team are exploring the role these technologies play in establishing greater levels of understanding and empathy between doctors and patients.

The team brings together specialists, including clinicians, computer scientists and health services researchers to test and implement digital therapies to improve the health of patients at Cedars-Sinai and around the world.

“Dr. Spiegel is well poised to accelerate his national leadership in this rapidly evolving field of medicine,” said Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai.

Spiegel has published several best-selling medical textbooks, including VRx: How Virtual Therapeutics Revolutionize Medicine. His scientific findings also have been featured in more than 260 peer-reviewed articles.

“Dr. Spiegel’s impactful research underscores the value of establishing this endowed chair and highlights how deserving he is of this recognition,” said Arthur J. Ochoa, JD, senior vice president of Advancement and chief advancement officer for Cedars-Sinai. “Cedars-Sinai is so thankful to the Gourrich Foundation for this incredible gift that promises to sustain research in the burgeoning field of digital health ethics today and far into the future.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Virtual Reality in Healthcare: Pain Relief

Through new “Idea-thons,” frontline clinical and administrative leaders and AI experts across the organization come together to cultivate ideas for using AI to enhance patient care, administrative systems and employee wellbeing. Participants then present their ideas to senior leaders, who vote on which projects to advance, support and, eventually, put into use across the organization.  

“Idea-thons empower our frontline caregivers and staff to shape the future of healthcare, tapping into their talent, creativity, and hands-on experience to craft tailored solutions for patients and the organization,” said Craig Kwiatkowski, PharmD, senior vice president and chief information officer at Cedars-Sinai. “We are leaning in to create our own road map of imaginative projects using generative AI technologies, centered on enhancing patient care and organizational efficiency.”

The Idea-thons are driven by Cedars-Sinai’s Artificial Intelligence Council, which is charged with guiding and coordinating the organization’s AI strategy. Cedars-Sinai’s AI strategy is built on three strategic pillars: investing and planning, transitioning innovation into adoption, and supporting the ethical, responsible, and scientifically sound use of AI, including generative AI.

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create a series of outputs—like video, audio or texts—in response to human requests. These generative AI systems are based on language models like ChatGPT that can be trained to generate content.

The first Idea-thon, in June, brought together more than a dozen physicians from various medical specialties, including cardiology, emergency medicine, surgery, OB-GYN and primary care, as well as AI experts in data science, computational biomedicine and technology.

The session produced solutions with themes centered around care coordination, triage, medication management, communications and clinical trial recruitment. Some of the projects potentially overlapped with initiatives already underway at Cedars-Sinai. Others presented fresh opportunities to develop anew.

“These novel projects can be used alongside our customized generative AI tools and technologies within our health system,” said Mike Thompson, vice president of Enterprise Data Intelligence, who works with Kwiatkowski to steer the organization’s AI strategy.

Thompson said the Idea-thons are informed by the experience and wisdom of frontline healthcare clinicians and other Cedars-Sinai staff who understand firsthand the problems encountered in the delivery of healthcare.

“Our physicians and medical teams have direct insight into the roadblocks within their daily jobs,” Thompson said. “By bringing them into the discussion on generative AI technologies, they can help identify meaningful solutions to these hurdles—which will likely improve patient care, advance the frontiers of medical research and increase organizational efficiency.”

As these ideas transition into tangible solutions, Cedars-Sinai is dedicated to conducting rigorous testing and impact assessments to ensure alignment with the organization’s mission to deliver the highest-quality care. The collaborative teams involved in the Idea-thons aim to refine and tailor AI solutions to address the unique needs of both patients and the organization, while remaining steadfast to their strategic principles.   

The next Idea-thon, scheduled for October, will bring together an even broader group of healthcare professionals, including nurses, pharmacists and other clinicians. Another session will follow to include administrative and operational staff from Finance, Human Resources and other departments.

"We are truly inspired by the ingenuity of our staff and by the potential of the generative AI ideas we've heard,” Kwiatkowski said. “There are limitless opportunities for innovation within patient care, operational and administrative areas. We will continue listening to and seeking input from our frontline staff as we further explore how to best use these new tools.” 

Read more from the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Artificial Intelligence Advances

Building on a legacy of innovation, Cedars-Sinai is harnessing rapidly evolving breakthroughs in AI technology to enhance patient care, improve efficiency, advance scientific discovery, and cultivate greater physician and staff wellbeing.

AI at Cedars-Sinai already is having an early impact on clinical and research initiatives. Investigators, for example, are using the technology to identify the earliest signs of pancreatic cancer, predict sudden cardiac arrest and uncover genetic predictors of Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Cedars-Sinai leaders are excited by the possibilities afforded by AI—including the potential to reduce healthcare disparities and costs—as they guide the organization through this dynamic revolution in healthcare.

“AI extends and augments human capabilities and intelligence,” said Craig Kwiatkowski, PharmD, senior vice president and chief information officer. “It holds the potential to transform the ways we envision, plan and deliver care. Because of the vast opportunities, we are moving deliberately in these early stages of the journey.”

The Three Pillars of Artificial Intelligence at Cedars-Sinai

Cedars-Sinai’s AI strategy is built on three foundational strategic pillars: investing and planning, transitioning innovation into adoption, and supporting sound, ethical use of new technologies.

Through its first pillar, Cedars-Sinai is investing in state-of-the-art technology, infrastructure and services while fostering AI fluency across the workforce. The intent is to lay a foundation to meet the organization’s future healthcare needs.

The second pillar calls for the use of AI research and innovation to solve critical, real-world healthcare challenges—accelerating the integration of AI discoveries into clinical practice and delivering benefits to patients, physicians and the healthcare delivery system.

The third pillar focuses on the ethical and responsible use and governance of AI by adhering to regulatory requirements while ensuring that AI tools are used in fair and unbiased ways that protect patients and their privacy.

“The AI journey doesn’t have a finish line, and we must keep our eyes on the road ahead,” said Mike Thompson, vice president of Enterprise Data Intelligence, who works alongside Kwiatkowski to steer the organization’s AI strategy. “We are building a strong foundation for a future of limitless possibilities.”

Artificial Intelligence Council

An essential component of success involves the creation an Artificial Intelligence Council. It brings together cross-functional leaders—from patient care, research, data and technology teams—to review, guide and coordinate AI strategy. The council provides a forum for open dialogue and an ongoing exchange of ideas while setting priorities, evaluating the use of AI tools and identifying measures of success.

“The AI Council is a core piece of our commitment to using AI responsibly,” said Jason Moore, PhD, chair of the Department of Computational Biomedicine and a founding member of the council. “It is critical that we promote responsible AI principles, helping to ensure that AI is deployed safely, effectively and in an unbiased and transparent manner.”

Artificial Intelligence in Action

AI can accelerate scientific discovery by advancing the understanding of disease states and potential treatment pathways. At the same time, AI can improve the efficiency and accuracy of clinical data, freeing providers to spend greater face-to-face time with patients.

Early adoption of artificial intelligence already is making a difference in research and clinical programs at Cedars-Sinai. Examples include:

• Pancreatic Cancer: Cedars-Sinai investigators have leveraged AI to identify the earliest signs of pancreatic cancer, a disease notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages. By using advanced machine learning algorithms to analyze medical imaging scans and patient records, the AI system may help prevent deaths through early detection, leading to timely interventions and improved patient prognoses.
• Heart Health: Research led by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute and the Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine in the Department of Medicine is helping clinicians get closer to predicting two common heart conditions: sudden cardiac arrest, which is often fatal, and increased coronary artery calcium, a marker of coronary artery disease that can lead to a heart attack.
• Brain Cell Modeling: Investigators from the Anastassiou Lab—members of the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and the Center for Neural Science and Medicine at Cedars-Sinai—have created complex computer models of individual brain cells, unlocking new avenues for understanding brain function and neurological disorders.
• Alzheimer's Disease Research: An $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study Alzheimer’s disease is enabling investigators to study new, leading-edge artificial intelligence methods and to use these to identify genetic predictors of Alzheimer’s disease risk.
• Liver Disease: Cedars-Sinai experts are investigating how ChatGPT may help improve outcomes for patients with cirrhosis and liver cancer by providing easy-to-understand information about lifestyle changes and treatments.
• Obstetrics and Gynecology: AI is helping physicians make headway in predicting the need for cesarean section delivery. By analyzing electronic health records, the Cedars-Sinai AI model can help physicians assess factors influencing the need for C-sections, potentially leading to better outcomes and informed decision-making for parents.
• Spine Surgery: The Department of Computational Biomedicine, in collaboration with Cedars-Sinai’s AI Council and spine surgeons, is using AI and machine learning to predict which patients are most likely to successfully manage their pain post-surgery and which ones might need additional assistance.
• COVID-19: During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cedars-Sinai developed an AI model that helps physicians diagnose the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia. This technology already is being used in multicenter clinical studies.

Although AI initiatives are already having an impact at Cedars-Sinai, those leading the organization’s strategy are busily planning to expand the scope of applications.

“We are only at the very beginning of understanding what AI can do to improve healthcare and quality of life for our patients, our physicians and our staff,” Kwiatkowski said. “We are committed to building a firm foundation as we head into the future.”  

Read more in Discoveries: The Human Factor of Artificial Intelligence

Jones will be responsible for the integration of nursing and healthcare informatics across all care settings within Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network, Huntington Health and the Academic Enterprise.

“We are excited to have James in this new collaborative position that will build upon Cedars-Sinai’s proud history of innovation,” said Craig Kwiatkowski, PharmD, senior vice president and chief information officer.

Nursing informatics integrates the science of nursing with multiple information and analytical sciences to effectively incorporate data, information, and knowledge to support patient care and advance nursing practice. 

Jones, a respected nursing informatics expert, is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in nursing informatics and as a Nurse Executive Advanced. He joins Cedars-Sinai from UW Medicine health system in Washington, where he spent eight years in executive nursing services and operational roles. Prior to becoming UW’s chief nursing informatics officer, Jones was vice president of Nursing Operations and chief nursing informatics officer at UW Medicine’s Valley Medical Center.

At Cedars-Sinai, Jones will provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure nurses and other frontline staff members are involved in the design and use of technology.

Working in partnership with nursing leaders at each Cedars-Sinai location and affiliate, Jones will drive data-based efforts to support the highest level of patient care by improving workflows and processes, supporting technology-enabled transformation, and advancing new healthcare delivery capabilities.

Additionally, Jones will collaborate with Cedars-Sinai's Human Resources team to lead technology training teams that support e-learning and the onboarding of new employees.

“James’ deep experience and collaborative leadership style will serve Cedars-Sinai’s mission to constantly enhance the care we provide to patients while also ensuring staff wellbeing,” said David Marshall, JD, DNP, RN, senior vice president, chief nursing executive and the James R. Klinenberg, MD, and Lynn Klinenberg Linkin Chair in Nursing in honor of Linda Burnes Bolton.

Read more in Discoveries: A Deep Dive with Data Scientists