Mass General Brigham and IBM Collaborate on New AI Project To Address the Effects of Extreme Heat on Vulnerable Populations

Mass General Brigham and IBM today announced a new collaboration through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, aimed at scaling up innovative action in cities around the world, in alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. Together, Mass General Brigham and IBM will develop an AI tool for healthcare systems and community health centers confronting health risks from extreme heat.

High temperatures have significant and broad impacts on community health and healthcare systems. Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related disasters in the U.S., killing more people in 2022 than any other extreme weather event. It has also contributed to a rise in hospitalizations for respiratory, cardiovascular, and kidney diseases. A recent report estimated that heat event days will be responsible for an increase of almost 235,000 emergency department visits and more than 56,000 additional hospital admissions, adding approximately $1 billion in healthcare costs each summer. The consequences of extreme heat events are exacerbated in urban areas, and while this affects everyone, some at-risk patient groups are disproportionately impacted.

At the beginning of 2024, IBM held a request for proposals for nonprofit and government organizations, focused on technology-driven projects to advance city resiliency. Out of more than 100 applicants, Mass General Brigham was one of five organizations selected to participate in this new cohort of IBM Sustainability Accelerator projects. Mass General Brigham was selected for its significant support to the communities it serves, as well as the innovative ways it plans to leverage AI technology to address the impacts of extreme heat.

The tool, which will be initially tested across Mass General Brigham hospitals, will be built to help predict hyperlocal extreme heat events, identify at-risk patients, and deliver reliable, automated warnings when a heat wave is imminent. The new solution will inform patients of resources available to them, while helping clinicians to take preventative action by screening for, and intervening upon, patient risk factors. The tool will be designed with security features to protect the patient information and health information used to support the solution and to provide access to such information only within each health system using the tool and its patients.

“Mass General Brigham cares deeply about the challenges of extreme heat and its impact on medically vulnerable populations and our communities. As extreme heat events become more frequent, this solution will empower patients and their care teams to better address the health risks of extreme heat. By using real-time data and providing actionable messages, we aim to improve care for everyone,” said, Paul Biddinger, MD, chief preparedness and continuity officer at Mass General Brigham, who is leading the project with IBM.