TRICORDER case study

Heart failure, a condition affecting over 2% of the population and consuming 4% of the NHS budget, carries a higher risk of death than most cancers. The TRICORDER project aims to use an AI-powered tool to identify at-risk patients through GP records, revolutionising heart failure diagnosis and treatment in primary care.

TRICORDER marks the first sector-wide deployment of the AI tool Eko-DUO in primary care. By February 2024, over 200 GP practices were involved, assessing the cost-effectiveness of this AI-powered stethoscope in the early detection of heart failure and related cardiovascular diseases.

Integrating de-identified data from over 2.5 million patients in North West London, sourced from the Discover-NOW London Secure Data Environment (SDE), alongside clinical trial data, the project seeks to demonstrate the efficacy of this AI tool in identifying at-risk patients.

Early diagnosis benefits: Four out of five patients are currently diagnosed too late, often after emergency hospital admission, which significantly increases the risk of premature death.

Ease of use for GPs: GPs currently lack accurate, easy-to-use tools for quick heart failure checks. Early diagnosis maximizes treatment benefits, improving symptoms, quality of life, and survival rates.

TRICORDER is a system-wide implementation of Eko’s AI technology, expected to save the health system £2,400 per patient by potentially eliminating the need for emergency room visits.

Clinical efficacy: demonstrating the AI-enabled stethoscope’s effectiveness in primary care for swift cardiovascular disease diagnosis.

Enhanced decision-making: improving clinical decision-making, patient outcomes, and reducing A&E visits.

Cost savings: projecting £100 million in NHS savings through the nationwide implementation of Eko-DUO in primary care.

Policy and public health: guiding policy, prevention strategies, and public health initiatives for optimal impact.

Launched in January 2023 and running until August 2025, the TRICORDER project has received £1.18 million in funding from the NIHR.

The TRICORDER project shows how AI can transform healthcare, enhancing early diagnosis, improving patient outcomes, and significantly reducing costs.

Through this initiative, the NHS Secure Data Environment network demonstrates its potential to facilitate effective research, support the rollout of AI technologies, and deliver substantial patient benefits.