Georgia Cancer Center: Optellum’s Lung Cancer Prediction (LCP) AI funnels the right patients to the right procedures

Bridging rural and urban care at the Georgia Cancer Center

The Georgia Cancer Center plays a vital role in serving patients from rural areas within a 75- to 100-mile radius of the facility. Situated in Augusta, the state’s second- largest city, along the banks of the Savannah River, this geographic region frequently sees patients presenting with various lung conditions, including granulomatous lung disease, pulmonary sarcoidosis, and post-COVID lung scarring. Determining the cause of incidentally found lung disease and nodules is crucial for managing the care of these patients.

Improving incidental nodule management with Optellum AI

Implementing Optellum’s Virtual Nodule Clinic (VNC) has significantly improved Georgia Cancer Center’s ability to address diverse health challenges and ensure patients receive timely, comprehensive care. Accurate identification and characterization of incidentally detected lung nodules are essential for early-stage lung cancer diagnosis. Optellum Lung Cancer Prediction (LCP) score plays a crucial role in clinical decision-making, given its strong ability to predict malignancy, unlike nodule size alone. LCP scores of 8 or higher are especially predictive, guiding decisions on whether to pursue biopsy, surgery, or robotic bronchoscopy. While nodule characteristics may not always resonate with patients, the LCP Score and malignancy likelihood histogram are impactful during consultations.

Expedited care, increased volumes & ROI with added reimbursement

Previously, the team at Georgia Cancer Center may have had a patient with a 7 mm nodule where the decision would be to follow a watch-and-wait approach. However, with the Optellum LCP score some of those same nodules may score an 8 or 9. Therefore, instead of waiting 3 months for new imaging, the patient’s care team move the patient forward, eliminating any delay. In aggregate, this has resulted in a 33% increase in procedures, a 67% reduction in time to diagnosis (from 42 days to under 14 days), and positive ROI, supplemented by a $500–$600 average reimbursement per LCP use.