It pains me to write this, but Georgia Tech seems to be taking the lead when it comes to healthcare IT research and partnerships. As a UGA grad, Bulldawg fan and lover of pretty much every part of “the Classic City,” I did not (ever) anticipate lauding the accomplishments of the Atlanta neighbors we strive so valiantly every Thanksgiving to completely vanquish. But I digress.

Props must be given where they’re due, and the institute is surely deserving of recognition for its recently announced work with the Department of Veterans Affairs and, closer to home, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The VA partnership will see Georgia Tech’s Interoperability and Integration Innovation Lab collaborating to “address interoperability issues, accelerate the development of integrated health IT solutions, test new products and help train the IT workforce needed to move the industry forward,” according to a recent report at HealthcareITNews.com.

The partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will see all six Georgia Tech colleges involved in a $20 million research initiative aimed at developing pediatric care medical technologies, and will “also focus on improving health IT systems, electronic medical records, even the delivery of care,” according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Beth Mynatt, Executive Director of Georgia Tech’s Institute for People and Technology, further explained the partnership to me: “Drawing from expertise in systems engineering, architecture and human-centered design, Georgia Tech will work with Children's healthcare providers to design systems that create effective, patient-centered care. These systems will extend current EMR systems to support effective coordination of care spanning medical specializations and geographic locations. New scheduling systems will support personalized healthcare delivery, for example, helping parents determine immunization schedules that meet their child's past medical history. New algorithms will help healthcare providers determine the optimal diagnostic tests for pediatric healthcare concerns. Finally, new simulations will demonstrate the economic viability for new forms of preventative and community-based healthcare."

Based on Ms. Mynatt’s explanation, I had a few further questions for the folks at Children’s. Dr. Paul Spearman, Chief Research Officer at Children’s, was happy to provide further details.

The research deal PR mentions that the “initiative will focus on developing medical technologies aimed at pediatric care.” Can you provide a bit more detail on what these types of technologies might be? Will they be related to certain specialties/conditions?
“Some of the technologies focus on devices that are appropriately designed and sized for small babies and children. It may seem surprising, but many of our lifesaving devices include tubing and other components that are better suited for the care of adults. Devices used for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which supplies heart and lung function to severely ill children, or hemofiltration/ hemodialysis equipment, which substitutes for the function of the kidney, involve large amounts of tubing to remove and return blood components. When the tubing is large and the baby's "tubing" is small, it leads to problems in management and could lead to complications that more appropriately sized devices can avoid.

Another approach is to design heart valves that won't have to be replaced frequently as the child grows. For adults, this is not an issue, but if an infant receives a heart valve, it has a very limited period before it has to be replaced.

We envision a wide variety of technologies to improve pediatric healthcare. Some are conceptually simpler, such as devices that can ensure all hospital caregivers wash their hands before contacting the patient. Others are more in the "Star Wars" category, including tiny nanomachines that can repair defective genes to correct diseases such as sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis.”

How exactly will the partnership “focus on improving health IT systems, EMRs, and the delivery of care?”
“Georgia Tech has long been a computing and Internet technology powerhouse. We propose to work with experts in the area of health information technology in order to design medical records systems that will allow better communication between doctors and patients, and between doctors and other doctors. The ideal health IT system would prevent unnecessary duplication of testing and reduce medical costs, while enhancing quality of care at the same time. A health information system that can reach all parts of Georgia and connect rural doctors to specialized urban centers is also a desired goal.”

What are the next steps in getting this research initiative up and running?
“The next steps are already underway. We have formed two new research centers, the Center for Pediatric Nanomedicine and the Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation. These and other research centers based at Georgia Tech are engaging physicians at Children's in innovative research projects. The Center for Pediatric Nanomedicine is applying novel nanotechnology approaches to pediatric diseases. Some of the approaches include developing new diagnostic tools (probes) that will enhance the diagnosis of childhood illnesses. Another series of projects will develop nanoparticles that seek out and destroy malignant cells in childhood tumors. The Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation brings together doctors from Children’s and Emory to work with engineers in the development of some of the medical devices mentioned above.”

How long do you think the funds and corresponding research programs will last?
“This is a multi-year investment that will allow us to establish a number of new initiatives and provide support to those outlined above. We anticipate that additional funds will be raised to support a long-term, ongoing relationship between Children’s and Georgia Tech for the benefit of children. Therefore we don't think this is limited to the next five years but will be an ongoing initiative.”

What is your ultimate goal in participating in this project?
“Our overall goal is always to enhance the health of children in the State of Georgia and beyond. Where we have a special opportunity is in partnering with outstanding research institutions in our midst. Georgia Tech has already been a great partner for a number of projects, and this current initiative takes the partnership in research to another level. We think that engineering and computing expertise at Georgia Tech can make a major impact on child health, and that it is our responsibility to work together to solve important child health problems. An additional benefit is that not only do the doctors get excited about working with engineers and scientists, but the engineers feel a sense of accomplishment and reward in solving problems that help transform kids' lives. It’s an overall win-win for both institutions, and even more importantly, it’s going to improve the lives of children.”

Whether we’re talking football or healthcare, there’s no arguing with a win-win for kids. Kudos to Georgia Tech for taking the “research” ball and running with it.

Jennifer Dennard is Social Marketing Director for Atlanta-based Billian's HealthDATA, Porter Research and HITR.com.