Sutter Health doubles early-stage lung cancer diagnoses: 5 things to know

Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health doubled its rate of early-stage lung cancer diagnoses after implementing an AI-powered tracking tool within its Epic EHR.

The tool has led to more than 70% of all lung cancer diagnoses to occur during stage 1 or stage 2, according to a July 21 news release from the American Medical Association. 

Here are five things to know:

1. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual low-dose CT scans for patients at a high risk of developing lung cancer, though uptake is low.

   Some lung cancers, in the form of pulmonary nodules, often go unnoticed when patients undergo imaging for other issues, the release said.

2. In an effort to ensure incidental findings receive the appropriate follow-up care, Sutter Health employed an AI tool to flag the nodules, which triggers a coordinated workflow within its Epic EHR.

3. A multidisciplinary team then reviews the radiology report and imaging data, as well as the patient’s chart and individual risk factors, to determine if the case should be elevated.
4. Nurse navigators coordinate patient communication and follow-up care when intervention is necessary.
5. The Sutter Health team, led by Jason Wiesner, MD, chief radiologist and director of imaging informatics, developed the system to adapt to other high-risk incidental findings.

   A 2024 pilot program flagged about 200 incidental brain aneurysms before rupture occurred. The team will focus on coronary calcifications next, the release said.