Increasing Access to Care
Dr. Michael Abramoff, an ophthalmologist and computer scientist at the University of Iowa (UI), is a leading figure in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. His groundbreaking work has significantly advanced the field, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases.
In 2018, Dr. Abramoff founded Digital Diagnostics, a UI spinoff company that achieved a historic milestone by earning the FDA’s first-ever approval for an AI system capable of autonomously diagnosing disease. This AI tool, designed to detect diabetic retinopathy—a severe complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss—operates at the point of care without the need for physician input. According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, it has become the world’s fastest-growing AI medical procedure based on patient usage.
Expanding AI’s Reach
Currently, Dr. Abramoff serves as a UI professor and the executive chairman of Digital Diagnostics. His research extends beyond diabetic retinopathy, exploring how AI can diagnose other diseases, including glaucoma and conditions outside the realm of ophthalmology. Dr. Abramoff is also dedicated to investigating how AI can enhance productivity in medicine and promote health equity—areas where he believes there has been a lack of real-world scientific evidence.
One of his notable contributions is leading a randomized controlled trial to assess whether autonomous AI can improve clinician productivity. This study, published in Nature Digital Medicine, provided the first evidence of AI’s impact on efficiency in any industry, not just healthcare. The trial demonstrated a 39.5 percent increase in completed care encounters per hour among retinal doctors using Digital Diagnostics’ autonomous AI system, LumineticsCore, compared to those providing traditional care.
Addressing Health Disparities
Dr. Abramoff’s work also addresses significant health disparities. A study he co-authored, published in Nature Communications, revealed that Black youths with diabetes received as many eye exams as their white counterparts when LumineticsCore was used. This finding is crucial, as it highlights AI’s potential to bridge gaps in healthcare access and outcomes, particularly in underserved populations. By providing instant diagnoses, AI ensures patients receive timely follow-up care, increasing the likelihood of returning for future appointments.
A Vision for the Future
Dr. Abramoff envisions AI not only as a tool to improve productivity and health equity but also as a means to reduce healthcare costs and make medical services more accessible globally. For instance, he notes that autonomous AI can cut the cost of diabetic eye exams to the health system by two-thirds.
Drawing parallels to the agricultural revolution, Dr. Abramoff compares the potential impact of AI in healthcare to the mechanization and automation that transformed farming a century ago. Just as these advancements made affordable food widely available, he believes AI can make quality healthcare accessible to all, ensuring no one is deprived of necessary medical care.
“It’s like what we saw in agriculture a century ago when there were famines and people couldn’t feed their children,” says Dr. Abramoff. “Now, because of the productivity increases from the mechanization and automation of agriculture, affordable food is ubiquitous in many places. And Iowa, with all our John Deere combines, many of which run autonomously, is a leading example of productivity in agriculture. I want the same for healthcare, where it’s affordable and available everywhere, and no one needs to worry about getting appropriate care.”
Dr. Michael Abramoff’s pioneering efforts in AI are paving the way for a future where healthcare is more efficient, equitable, and accessible. His work continues to inspire advancements that could transform the medical field and improve the lives of millions worldwide.