AI and Systems Engineering

The Mayo Clinic Department of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery's Division of AI and Systems engineering develops machine learning, deep-learning and other data science tools and implements those tools into clinical practice.

Automating data extraction to populate clinical registries

Researchers who are building clinical registries often have to manually find and extract information from clinical notes and surgical reports. The Division of AI and Systems Engineering is developing natural language models and pipelines that can automatically extract data from text and plug it into structured fields that can populate the registries.

Triaging patients more efficiently

As a leading quaternary care center, Mayo Clinic experiences a consistently high referral volume and prioritizes patients with serious or complex care needs who most need specialized care. The division is creating a system that employs AI and machine learning to efficiently triage patient requests and referrals.

Using AI for faster patient communication

Patient questions and queries constitute a significant portion of the messages Mayo Clinic receives through the patient portal. The division is leveraging large language models to help streamline decision-making and semiautomate responses to these messages, expediting communication.

Identifying candidates for cochlear implants

Cochlear implants can significantly improve hearing for some individuals with severe hearing loss, and Medicare and most insurance plans often cover the cost of these devices. But only about 3% to 15% of those who would be helped by getting a cochlear implant actually receive one. The Division of AI and Systems Engineering and the Division of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery are collaborating to develop machine learning models to better identify individuals who would benefit from cochlear implants.