MetaOptima is a technology company that is focused on delivering intelligent dermatology solutions for clinicians. They created the MoleScope, a lightweight and clinical-grade mobile dermatoscope, and an intelligent supporting dermatology platform called DermEngine. In this episode, Yianni is joined by Peter Birch, MetaOptima Technologies Asia Pacific General Manager.

Peter explains how AI can support conventional skin checking, workflows and diagnosis; and how that can reimagine healthcare service models at the intersection of other skin conditions and healthcare services. The challenge of social distancing to the business of healthcare is discussed, and how that might be overcome by augmenting current healthcare specialisations. Peter also shares an outlook of a world where drones become a part of body scanning and medical imaging.

Key takeaways:

1. MetaOptima has currently focused on skin cancer but can also help with other skin conditions, (i.e. eczema, acne) and will be expanding with these areas in mind in the future.
2. MetaOptima’s AI is award-winning. It was entered into the Isaac Challenge and the three algorithms that were submitted to the competition came first, second and third out of hundreds of other attendees.
3. The MoleScope can be plugged into your mobile phone to give you portability anywhere to take photos and transfer them back into the DermEngine product.
4. The dermatology platform, DermEngine, is 'Dermatoscope Agnostic'. This means that it can be used in conjunction with whichever dermatoscope is favoured.
5. Oftentimes, clinicians end up taking photos of patients' skin lesions with their camera app, which means the images can end up on their personal device. Taking images with the DermEngine app means that they are not being saved directly onto the device, but instead being saved into the secure DermEngine app.
6. In Australia, two out of three Australians get skin cancer. Only around ten per cent of Australians that are at risk of having skin cancer get an annual skin check. As a country, we're really good at the early prevention stuff and very good at treatment, but the early detection and monitoring of skin cancer can be improved.

 

Resources and links:

• https://www.metaoptima.com/
• https://www.dermengine.com/
• https://www.molescope.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterbirch84/

 

Connect:

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