MyHealthcare & Ashoka University Secured Johns Hopkins GKII Breakthrough Grant for Health Data Research

Utilising technology, clinical expertise, and big data, the collaboration will accelerate health informatics and data-driven evidence generation.

Gurugram-based healthtech startup, MyHealthcare and Ashoka University have secured the Johns Hopkins GKII Breakthrough Grant for Health Data Research. 

The development focuses on leveraging technology, clinical expertise, and big data to accelerate health informatics and data-driven evidence generation, ultimately enhancing patient care outcomes.

Commenting on the development, Shyatto Raha, founder & CEO of MyHealthcare, said, “The insights gained from this research will allow us to refine our care protocols based on real-world evidence. A significant aspect of this project is the development of an antibiotic stewardship module, which is globally recognised as a crucial need in healthcare today. The data model created to convert real-world data into CDM will empower our client hospitals with intelligent dashboards, fostering a more efficient healthcare delivery system.”

Insights into Research Goals & Approach

In an exclusive conversation with DHN, Shyatto Raha provided insights into the research approach. He highlighted the plan to harness NLP techniques and open-source language models to structure clinical data, enabling personalised care pathways tailored to individual patient needs.

The research initiative uses natural language processing (NLP) algorithms and open-source language models to extract clinical features from unstructured clinical notes. The ultimate goal is to standardise medical terms and convert this information into the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership - Common Data Model (OMOP-CDM).

Pilot Study on Antibiotic Prescription Patterns

Per Raha, central to this research is the exploration of antibiotic prescription practices, particularly concerning febrile respiratory infections. 

Raha outlined that the study aims to provide insights into physician prescribing patterns and treatment outcomes, empowering healthcare providers to make evidence-based clinical decisions.

While talking to DHN, Raha shared the profound impact collaborative research has had on antibiotic stewardship, clinical practices, and healthcare efficiency. He noted that the research will enable a deeper understanding of prescription patterns for respiratory illnesses. 

Additionally, per Raha, it will enhance healthcare efficiency by integrating insights into medication ordering and management workflows within Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), leading to better patient outcomes and the prevention of inappropriate antibiotic use.

Key Objectives & Leadership

Jointly led by Dr Rintu Kutum of Ashoka University and Dr Mathew Robinson of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the research focused on converting unstructured health data, including EHR or DHD, into meaningful and interoperable information. 

Dr Anurag Agrawal, the dean of biosciences & health research at Ashoka University, emphasised the collaborative effort to address complex health challenges.
Sharing thoughts, Dr Agrawal said, "Our collaborative efforts with MyHealthcare highlight how academia and industry can come together to address complex health challenges in India. I am also delighted that Johns Hopkins and Ashoka are coming together under the GKII breakthrough grant umbrella to address important needs in the global health data ecosystem".

Founded in 2017 by Aneesh Nair, Divya Laroyia, Shyatto Raha, MyHealthcare Technologies is a digital health technology platform, collaborating with hospitals and healthcare providers to establish an integrated digital patient care ecosystem. 

In November 2023, MyHealthcare launched MyHealthFin, its healthcare financing vertical, addressing the issue of affordable healthcare through paperless financing options. Back then, the startup planned to cater to over 30 million patients across its extensive partner network of 130 hospitals.

Additionally, in 2019, MyHealthcare raised $3 million in a funding round led by Sixth Sense Ventures, following a $2 million investment in 2018.