CNN, transfer learning automates EMR data input

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a method for streamlining electronic medical record (EMR) data entry using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transfer learning, according to a paper published April 12 in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine.

The team’s work is part of a larger effort to automate EMR input, which can be both time-consuming and error-prone. Authors Anthony Rios, PhD, and Ramakanth Kavuluru, PhD, said that while EMRs are a necessity in the clinic, manually logging International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and processing essay-length records presents a challenge for physicians already strapped for time.

“Annotating EMRs with ICD codes is important for medical billing,”...