Vanderbilt Health launches AI tool to accelerate Alzheimer treatment

Vanderbilt Health researchers have secured a $600,000, 18‑month grant from Eli Lilly and Company to develop an artificial‑intelligence triage agent embedded in the institution’s electronic health‑record system. The AI will automatically summarize referral information, flag missing data, and recommend whether a patient with suspected amyloid‑positive Alzheimer’s disease should be routed as a priority or standard case, while clinicians retain full control over the recommendation.

The project targets delays that occur as patients move from primary‑care or geriatric referrals to neurology, aiming to shorten the weeks‑long wait before receiving newly approved monoclonal‑antibody therapies. Led by principal investigator You Chen, PhD, with co‑principal investigators Amalia Peterson, MD, and Sean Huang, MD, the system is designed for transferability to other health‑care networks.