Researchers and students at Carnegie Mellon University are using readily available technology to address critical gaps in the way patients and doctors track, share and use health data. The tools they are developing could someday be used widely to give patients real-time information about symptoms like depression and fatigue, and help manage medical records in remote areas without Internet access.
An app to better understand the mental health of people with multiple sclerosis
CMU researchers Computer Science School(Opens in new window) have developed an app that monitors depression and fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) using artificial intelligence and everyday devices like smartphones and Fitbits.
the study(Opens in new window)Under the leadership of Associate Professor Mayank Goyal(Opens in new window) and Ph.D. Student Prerna Chikarsal demonstrated how digital tools can give patients meaningful information about their own health while providing data to physicians to provide better treatment. It also gave patients direct access to their health information.
The app, which is currently a prototype, tracks physical activity, heart rate, sleep and social engagement by combining wearable data with smartphone signals such as GPS, Bluetooth and communication patterns. It also collected patients’ self-reported mood and fatigue levels through daily prompts.
By layering this information, the research team was able to detect higher rates of depression (about 35%-40%) and fatigue (about 50%-55%) in their MS study population, especially during the pandemic when isolation and stress dramatically impacted mental health.
Beyond MS, Goyal’s team has expanded their research to include breast cancer survivors, LGBTQIA+ teens, and high school girls, developing adaptive machine-learning models that can accommodate different definitions of “normal” in different populations.
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Documentation of patient care without reliable internet
CMU students Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy(Opens in new window) has developed a low-cost electronic medical record (EMR) system to help rural Haitian health clinics better track patient care.
partnership with flm haiti(Opens in new window)The team, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that provides education, literacy training and other services to people in Haiti, created an app in conjunction with a small, low-cost computer called a Raspberry Pi. The device acts as a local server, enabling staff to record and access medical data even without reliable internet or power.
This system provides a centralized, uniform way to store records and identify community health trends. FLM Haiti leaders called the project “transformational”, noting its potential to reshape care delivery in resource-limited settings, just as EMRs transformed American health care.
“Working in a resource-constrained environment, the students delivered a cost-effective solution. They incorporated thoughtful user interface design and multilingual support, which greatly enhanced usability,” he said. Michael McCarthy(Opens in new window)A professor who advised the student team.
In November, the students will discuss their work at the American Medical Informatics Association’s annual symposium, held in Atlanta. In the future, this device could serve other under-resourced clinics overseas and in rural parts of the US, where Internet connectivity may be limited.
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Together, these projects demonstrate how CMU researchers are tackling health disparities from Pittsburgh to Port-au-Prince.