Nicolab enters reference site agreement to deliver AI-powered stroke software StrokeViewer to Gold Coast Health

Gold Coast, Australia – Nicolab, a renowned healthcare technology solutions provider, is delighted to announce the formalisation of a five-year Reference Site Agreement with Gold Coast Health. This agreement solidifies the partnership to implement Nicolab’s state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered stroke workflow software, StrokeViewer.

This development follows Nicolab’s recent successes in securing a contract with 12 Queensland hospitals and a three-year contract with the Victorian Stroke Telemedicine Service. By working closely with clinicians at Gold Coast Health, Nicolab will facilitate the deployment of StrokeViewer in collaboration with the Gold Coast Health StrokeViewer Project team. This is innovative solution transforms stroke care by enhancing communication, collaboration and triaging at Gold Coast Health. StrokeViewer’s cutting-edge imaging analysis capabilities enable prompt and accurate identification of stroke-related anomalies, empowering physicians to accelerate diagnosis andmaximise the chances of a healthy recovery.

Renowned for its leadership in stroke care, Gold Coast Health will serve as a reference site for Nicolab, showcasing the exceptional capabilities and benefits of StrokeViewer to other healthcare institutions.

“We are delighted to establish Gold Coast Health as our reference site for StrokeViewer,” Nicolab Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand Kylie Westren said. “Its unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality stroke care aligns with our mission to empower healthcare professionals with quick and reliable access to information when it matters most. We firmly believe that StrokeViewer has the potential to revolutionise stroke diagnosis and treatment, ultimately saving lives and enhancing patient recovery.”

StrokeViewer incorporates deep learning algorithms that analyse computed tomography (CT) scans to identify and quantify critical stroke-related parameters. By automating the detection and segmentation of ischaemic regions, StrokeViewer empowers physicians to make faster and more accurate treatment decisions, leading to improved patient outcomes.

Distinguished Interventional Neuroradiologist Dr Hal Rice is one of Queensland’s seven Interventional Neurovascular Specialists performing lifesaving, thrombectomy procedures, along with Gold Coast Health’s Dr. Laetitia de Villiers. They employ increasingly sophisticated clot-removing devices to access blood vessels inside a patient’s brain through a major artery in the groin.

Dr Rice said, “Using a millimetre-wide tube known as a micro-catheter, we insert it via an artery and navigate it internally through chest and neck vessels into the brain. Thrombectomy procedures now replace traditional clot-dissolving drugs as the definitive treatment for severe strokes affecting the major blood vessels of the brain,” he said. “StrokeViewer will aid our stroke teams to work collaboratively to make the decision on the best type of treatment for each patient and make the treatment decision as quickly as possible.”

In stroke care, even a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Studies have shown that for every second of delay from hospital arrival to the initiation of an endovascular procedure, approximately 2.2 hours of healthy life are lost*. By empowering healthcare professionals with cutting-edge technology such as StrokeViewer, Nicolab aims to alleviate the mounting pressure on emergency healthcare providers and equip them with the tools to make well- informed treatment decisions promptly.