Latest news with #SimonNazarian
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
When City of Hope Launched Its Own AI Tool, Execs Got Hugs and Pharma Came Calling
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There is no shortage of health care AI applications on the market, including solutions from major brands like Epic and Microsoft. But despite the ever-expanding array of options, there wasn't a commercial AI solution that fit City of Hope's needs. That's why the Los Angeles-based system—which is one of the nation's largest cancer research and treatment organizations—decided to launch its own generative AI model in late June. HopeLLM is powered by City of Hope's proprietary data and technology, and works to improve both provider efficiency and patient experience. The tool can assist with patient onboarding, summarizing vast medical records in seconds. It also works to match patients with clinical trials and pull relevant data for research. The tool has been rolled out across City of Hope's enterprise, including locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix and Atlanta. It's been a success so far, Simon Nazarian, the system's chief digital and technology officer, told Newsweek in an exclusive interview on July 1. City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital in Duarte, California, is part of the system's nationwide cancer care network. City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital in Duarte, California, is part of the system's nationwide cancer care network. City of Hope "I got hugged the other day," Nazarian said, speaking about health care professionals' response to HopeLLM. "We get a lot of accolades [from providers] about the fact that they're not spending as much 'pajama time,' and they have this available at the point of care. It's to the point that they want to get it out there in the hands of everyone." HopeLLM had already saved clinicians "thousands" of hours during its first week of deployment, and that number continues to rise, according to Nazarian. While more health systems are leaning on AI-powered tools like ambient scribes and scheduling agents, few have the resources and infrastructure to launch their own platforms. There was no better option for City of Hope, per Nazarian. The health system was an early adopter of AI, and has been creating and deploying its own AI-driven predictive models since 2017. Those solutions focused on risk identification—rating patients' odds of becoming septic or having surgical complications—while the new app helps make sense of expansive medical records and strengthens the link between different arms of the business. "Whether in care delivery or research, we want to use AI in order to accelerate discovery to continuously improve our quality of care, and deliver more precise therapies," Nazarian said. City of Hope onboarded more than 150,000 new patients in 2024. These patients typically have complex medical histories and see a number of providers before reaching the specialty cancer network. It can be daunting for both patients and physicians to parse through their records, which often include 10 to 20 years of test results and visit notes. A study from the University of Wisconsin found that one in five patients has an electronic health record (EHR) the size of Herman Melville's Moby Dick, more than 206,000 words. Cancer patients tend to have longer, more layered stories than the average patient, hence the need for a tailored oncology AI solution. The health system's dedicated applied AI and advanced analytics team worked alongside doctors and researchers to leverage all that data and build HopeLLM. It uses multiple commercial and open-source models, and has been integrated into City of Hope's EHR, Epic. A researcher conducts basic research at a City of Hope laboratory. In addition to delivering patient care, City of Hope engages in oncology research. HopeLLM aims to bridge the gap between these aspects of the... A researcher conducts basic research at a City of Hope laboratory. In addition to delivering patient care, City of Hope engages in oncology research. HopeLLM aims to bridge the gap between these aspects of the business. More City of Hope While individual providers can use the app to receive a personalized summary of their patient's records, the health system can tap into its analytical features for a longitudinal view of their care journey. According to Nazarian, City of Hope can marry these insights with other data points on social determinants of health and genomics—helping them create precision therapies that account for an individual's entire background. AI governance protocols were essential throughout the model's construction and are an ongoing focus for the health system rather than a "one and done," he added. Stakeholders from across the enterprise, including physicians, legal and compliance experts, weighed in on the platform's development and continue to monitor it for quality and safety. "It really is important for us to make sure that [our AI models] have perfect accuracy, with more information coverage compared to the human-generated summaries that have been done in the past," Nazarian said. HopeLLM has garnered interest from the broader oncology market, particularly from pharmaceutical companies that would like to take advantage of its trial-matching capabilities. City of Hope is exploring avenues to make the tool available to others, and partner with external stakeholders that could help improve it. "There is no way for us to predict where a revolutionary technology like this is going to go," Nazarian said, "but we are staying close to it and will be at the forefront." Nazarian will be speaking at Newsweek's Digital Health Care Forum in New York City on September 16. For more information or to register for the event, visit
Business Wire
24-06-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
City of Hope Leads AI-Powered Health Care Innovations and Launches Generative AI Tool to Save Lives and Enable Nationwide Best-in-Class Cancer Care
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--City of Hope ®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States with its National Medical Center named a Top 5 'Best Hospital' in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report, is using generative artificial intelligence to create operational efficiency, enable AI-driven patient personalization, improve access to clinical trials and empower breakthrough research. City of Hope is using generative artificial intelligence to create operational efficiency, enable AI-driven patient personalization, improve access to clinical trials and empower breakthrough research. Share 'With the rise of AI, health care systems like City of Hope are seizing the opportunity to transform physician workloads and fuel more focused, personalized patient care,' said Simon Nazarian, City of Hope chief digital and technology officer and system executive vice president. Among City of Hope's most exciting health care innovations is a novel generative AI platform that leverages multiple commercial and open-source AI models. HopeLLM — powered by City of Hope's proprietary technology and data — removes the administrative burden of new patient onboarding, matches patients to clinical trials, enables generative AI responses personalized to individual patient records and extracts real-world data for research. 'By summarizing massive information in seconds, HopeLLM removes a barrier between the patient and the doctor. Instead of spending time finding information in the history of previous tests and treatments, doctors can spend time and effort in getting patients and caregivers to understand treatment options. Instead of the frustration of trying to find information, doctors are able to create more joy as they deliver patient care,' said Vijay Trisal, M.D., City of Hope system chief clinical officer and the Dr. Norman & Melinda Payson Professor in Medicine. HopeLLM, is a revolutionary time saver that may be used by clinicians across City of Hope's national clinical network, enabling patients to receive world-class cancer care regardless of which City of Hope location they visit. In 2024 alone, City of Hope onboarded more than 150,000 patients. Doctors often see new patients with extensive medical histories spanning 10 to 20 years of test results, notes and treatment reports. Doctors need to spend significant time — often during nonworking hours — to review hundreds of pages, leading to less time interacting directly with patients. Additionally, HopeLLM instantly points out a patient's clinical trial eligibility and automatically extracts key data points into research-ready formats, converting hours of manual chart review into seconds of AI-driven insight. 'We're not just building point solutions; we have built the engine for a learning health system where every patient interaction accelerates the next breakthrough,' says Nasim Eftekhari, M.S., City of Hope chief AI and analytics officer and system vice president. Since 2017, City of Hope has been developing, deploying and optimizing life-saving AI-driven predictive models that are actively integrated into clinical workflows. These AI models help identify critical risks — such as sepsis in vulnerable populations and complications in surgical procedures — enabling timely clinical interventions that enhance patient outcomes and improve patient quality of life. Importantly, these predictive models provide risk scores along with contextual explanations that clarify the factors driving the prediction, empowering responsible AI-driven clinical decision-making support. City of Hope's pioneering AI initiatives extend to oncology drug discovery, early cancer detection and prevention, advanced diagnostics and deeper insights into cancer evolution and disease progression. As an organization that both develops and uses AI tools, City of Hope is committed to harnessing artificial intelligence to enhance patient care, advance research and improve health care efficiency. HopeLLM exemplifies City of Hope's AI work, where people with cancer benefit directly. For example, patients and doctors typically share the burden of providing and verifying medical history. However, HopeLLM shifts this responsibility away from patients, helping them to receive more personalized care and engage in focused, future-looking discussions with their doctors. HopeLLM allows patients to concentrate on their primary responsibility: recovery. To receive a second opinion at City of Hope Los Angeles, call 888-720-1621 or visit this webpage. About City of Hope City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center that is ranked a Top 5 'Best Hospital' in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report at its core, City of Hope's uniquely integrated model spans cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and a broad philanthropy program that powers its work. City of Hope's growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope's affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHope TM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
