In a turning point for Australian healthcare, South Australia Medical Imaging (SAMI) has become the first public medical imaging provider to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technology for chest X-ray reporting across an entire state in Australia. SAMI are now using the Annalise Enterprise CXR solution across all their metropolitan and country sites to enhance the accuracy, expertise and efficiency of their radiologists.

Support for Australia’s largest public provider of imaging services

As a statewide radiology provider, SAMI offers comprehensive medical imaging services to 6 metropolitan and 4
country hospitals in South Australia

SAMI conducts approximately 700,000 examinations per year for public and private inpatients, outpatients, and patients visiting emergency departments—all at no out-of-pocket cost to patients.

Their team of over 1,200 staff includes specialist radiologists, nuclear medicine specialists, medical physicists, radiographers, sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists, nursing and administrative support staff.

SAMI’s major metropolitan sites are accredited Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists training sites. They make a significant contribution to South Australia’s radiologist workforce by supporting the education of 60 trainees, with an average graduating cohort of 12 radiologists per year. SAMI has deployed Annalise’s AI solution in The Royal Adelaide Hospital, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, The Queen Elizabeth, Repatriation Health
Precinct and the Women’s & Children’s Hospital. This is in addition to 4 regional hospitals supporting the communities of Murray Bridge, Clare, Berri and Port Pirie in South Australia.

Improving accuracy with high chest X-ray volumes

Chest X-rays form a key part of the diagnostic workup for many critical conditions such as lung cancer—the leading cause of cancer death for South Australian men and women in 2021.^[1]

They are also crucial for detecting emergent, potentially life-threatening conditions such as pneumothorax and pneumonia.

Chest X-rays account for about 150,000 of the 700,000 medical imaging tests SAMI performs each year—or about 21.5% of their total imaging volume. This equates to over 400 chest X-rays per day.

SAMI’s commitment to innovation and delivery of exceptional patient care means they are constantly seeking ways to support their radiologists and improve reporting accuracy. SAMI is using this advanced medical grade AI technology as a second read, especially valuable to radiology trainees (registrars) after-hours.

With chest X-rays forming such a large part of their workload, SAMI chose to seek a cutting-edge chest x-ray AI decision-support tool that would aid diagnostic precision and patient care.

The search led SAMI to Harrison.ai, Sydney-based, global health technology company that has advanced clinical grade AI solutions to enhance diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and patient outcomes.

SAMI chose the Annalise Enterprise CXR solution after a review of AI CXR decision-support tools available in Australia.

Associate Professor Marc Agzarian, Clinical Director at South Australia Medical Imaging said “We’re all human, and when you’re trying to get through a large volume of imaging 24 hours a day, any assistance to improve accuracy is welcome. This technology seamlessly combines our clinical expertise with sophisticated AI, allowing us to deliver even more precise diagnoses. The intuitive design of the solution, which includes localised findings and a confidence score, supports our radiologists in making informed decisions. This partnership will enable SAMI to improve diagnostic precision and set a new standard in patient care and safety,” he added.

An Australian-first for public imaging

In a landmark event for Australian public health, SAMI deployed Annalise Enterprise CXR across all their sites in November 2024.

“SAMI is the first public radiology provider in the country to implement AI statewide, and as an Australian-founded company, it’s deeply rewarding to see technology developed by our team directly benefit our local community,” says Annalise.ai Co-Founder and CEO, Dr Aengus Tran. “This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both Australia and our company.”

The solution will support SAMI’s radiologists by identifying areas of interest in chest images and suggesting potential diagnoses. Radiologists will review the suggested diagnoses before drawing their final conclusions and dictating the report.

A foundation for future innovation

SAMI’s deployment of Annalise AI marks a significant step forward in the integration of advanced technology within public healthcare. With high-volume chest X-ray reporting now supported by AI across both metropolitan and regional sites, the initiative is already helping to streamline workflows, support clinical accuracy, and enhance patient care. As SAMI continues to lead the way in scalable AI adoption, their experience offers a valuable model for other public health systems looking to harness technology to improve outcomes and deliver equitable access to high-quality diagnostics.