IDx (now known as Digital Diagnostics) founder, Dr. Michael Abràmoff, was invited to participate in congressional briefings organized by The Science Coalition on Wednesday, October 25.
Abràmoff, who is also a retina specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and the Iowa City VA Health Care System, is the only representative from the state of Iowa participating in the briefings. He will join a panel of 7 other scientists from research-based companies to discuss policy changes that could help accelerate the development of new healthcare advancements.
“If we widen the pathway for new AI diagnostic technology to obtain reimbursement, it would attract more companies and investors to the field, ultimately lowering healthcare costs and improving quality for patients and society,” said Abràmoff.
Based on over 20 years of research, Abràmoff founded IDx with the goal of increasing healthcare productivity and commercializing LumineticsCore™ (formerly known as IDx-DR), an automated diagnostic tool for diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of preventable blindness.
Over the last five years, IDx has been working with the FDA to prove the technology is safe, explainable, and effective for use in the front lines of healthcare.
“If we do obtain FDA clearance, our next challenge is securing reimbursement for a first-of-its-kind AI-based diagnostic device,” says Abràmoff. “Right now reimbursement is focused on physician effort and not on an AI diagnosis. We’ll have to pave the way.”
Abràmoff believes LumineticsCore (formerly known as IDx-DR) has the potential to improve healthcare productivity and lower costs by effectively determining which patients need to see a specialist.