New Study Demonstrates Significant Impact of AI-Powered Communication in Stroke Patients with Cardiac Shunts

Real-world data highlights how Viz Connect^® enhances care coordination and referral efficiency for cryptogenic stroke patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO)

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viz.ai, the leader in AI-powered disease detection and intelligent care coordination, today announced new clinical data from the study PFO-ACCESS: Augmenting Communications for Medical Care or Closure in the Evaluation of Stroke Patients With Cardiac Shunts demonstrating the impact of the Viz Connect^® module in improving cryptogenic stroke patient management. The study results were presented by Yasaman Pirahanchi, MD, Vascular Neurology Fellow at UC San Diego, during the 2025 International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles, CA, and simultaneously published in Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology.

The study demonstrated a 5.9x increase in PFO referrals from neurology to interventional cardiology following the implementation of the Viz Connect module. The post-acute stroke solution also reduced the median time from referral to acceptance by 1 hour and the median time from referral to closure by 5 days. A PFO, which is a hole between the left and right atria of the heart, does not necessarily require treatment, unless the patient is at risk of stroke or blood clots. PFO closure totals showed a 186% nonsignificant increase post implementation of the Viz Connect module.

“Many patients with cryptogenic stroke may have an underlying PFO, but systemic inefficiencies have historically led to underdiagnosis and undertreatment,” said Brett Meyer, MD, Co-Director, UCSD Stroke Center at University of California San Diego. “This study highlights how AI-powered communication can enhance coordination between stroke and cardiology teams, ultimately leading to more timely and appropriate patient management.”

Viz Connect enables streamlined communication between stroke teams and interventional cardiologists, facilitating earlier identification and intervention for patients who may benefit from PFO closure. PFO closure has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke in randomized controlled trials. Earlier referral to cardiology allows patients to address concerns directly with the cardiology provider earlier, not waiting for the completion of the advanced monitoring and imaging investigation. By integrating care coordination tools, the Viz.ai platform ensures that patients receive timely, specialized care while reducing inefficiencies in traditional referral pathways.

“At Viz.ai, we are dedicated to transforming end-to-end care pathways by enhancing communication and accelerating treatment decisions across multiple service lines,” said Molly Madziva Taitt, Ph.D., VP of Global Clinical Affairs at Viz.ai. “The results of this study reinforce the power of AI-enabled coordination to improve neurocardiac patient care, ensuring that more people receive the right treatment at the right time.”

About Viz.ai, Inc.

Viz.ai is the pioneer in the use of AI algorithms and machine learning to increase the speed of diagnosis and care across 1,700+ hospitals and health systems in the U.S. and Europe. The AI-powered Viz.ai One^TM is an intelligent care coordination solution that identifies more patients with a suspected disease, informs critical decisions at the point of care, and optimizes care pathways and helps improve outcomes. Backed by real-world clinical evidence, Viz.ai One delivers significant value to patients, providers, and pharmaceutical and medical device companies. For more information visit Viz.ai.