At Wayne General Hospital in rural Mississippi, clinicians say AI-powered stethoscope usage is helping them detect heart problems earlier in patients who often have limited access to specialists.
The hospital’s clinicians began using Eko Health’s digital stethoscope last year. Initially they used it simply for higher quality listening, but later began using its AI features to detect heart conditions more quickly, explained Jason Rogers, an emergency nurse practitioner and vice president of clinical operations at Wayne General Hospital.
The platform combines stethoscope data with real-time electrocardiogram data to flag serious cardiac conditions like atrial fibrillation, low ejection fraction and valvular heart disease. Its AI engine interprets the data in real time, helping identify abnormalities that might be missed during a standard exam.
Rogers said the hospital began billing for the AI-enabled exams in December, with early analysis showing average reimbursements of around $120 per exam.
CMS established a payment rate for Eko’s diagnostic AI system last July. Since Eko’s tool has CPT code for reimbursement, Wayne General can offset costs while also expanding access to advanced cardiac detection in their rural community, Rogers stated.
Wayne General is the sole hospital serving Wayne County, Mississippi. Patients in rural communities typically have to deal with long travel times, delayed care and having little to no access to specialists — so deploying AI-powered diagnostics on-site can help bridge crucial gaps in access, Rogers noted.
Since activating the AI analysis, he said clinicians frequently find previously undiagnosed cardiac issues — mainly abnormal rhythms, murmurs and low ejection fraction.
On a per-shift basis, Rogers said he uses the system about 10 times, and it usually flags two to four undiagnosed cases of a heart condition.
He pointed out that the technology is particularly useful in rural communities not only because cardiologists are scarce, but also because patients face high rates of chronic conditions.
“We have a fairly high prevalence of significant comorbidities where we are — a lot of obesity, hypertension, untreated diabetes, hyperlipidemia and underlying cardiovascular disease,” Rogers explained.
He said Eko’s AI can help clinicians make faster and more accurate treatment decisions when patients with chronic conditions come in to seek emergency care. For example, it can help quickly differentiate between conditions like septic shock and cardiogenic shock.
And because clinicians already use stethoscopes during routine exams, Eko’s tool enhances an existing workflow rather than adding new steps, noted Jason Bellet, the company’s co-founder and chief business officer.
“If you’re going to be putting the stethoscope on the chest anyway during the ED visit or during the primary care visit, being able to get an AI interpretation in under a minute is key. AFib would often require a 12-lean EKG, and structural murmur would require an echocardiogram. You’re potentially shaving off weeks, and certainly hours, in terms of getting early insight into what’s happening with that patient,” he declared.
According to both Jasons, the platform gives rural clinicians actionable information at the point of care, which helps avoid complications and unnecessary expenses down the road.
Photo: Grace Cary, Getty Images
