Machine Learning in an Elderly Man with Heart Failure

Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence and can be used to predict important outcomes in a wide variety of medical conditions. With the widespread use of electronic medical records, the vast amount of data required for this process is now readily available. The following case demonstrates the application of machine learning to an elderly man with heart failure. The algorithms used, namely, decision tree and random forest, both correctly differentiated heart failure with preserved ejection fraction from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This has important treatment and prognostic ramifications and can be completed at the point of care while awaiting confirmation via echocardiogram. Viewing the machine learning process through a patient-centered lens, as in this case, highlights the key role we as physicians have in the implementation and supervision of machine learning.