BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The University at Buffalo has quickly become a major player in artificial intelligence, from new degree programs to the Empire AI supercomputing center.
Now, one UB medical student is using that technology to tackle a problem he says often goes overlooked once patients leave the hospital.
Brendan Fox, a third-year medical student at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences with an interest in trauma surgery, says his perspective on healthcare shifted while working with vulnerable populations.
He began to notice a gap in care that happens after patients are discharged.
"Sometimes we forget that these patients will hopefully leave and they’ll have their lives outside of the hospital," Fox said. "It’s all of those choices and decisions outside that really shape their overall health."
That realization led Fox to develop an AI-powered resource finder designed to connect patients with essential community services, including food assistance, housing support, legal aid, and other local resources.
He says the goal is to bridge the gap between clinical care and what patients need to stay healthy in their daily lives.
WATCH: UB Medical Student Uses AI Tool to Connect Patients With Critical Community Resources
"More than 80% of health outcomes in our community could be related back to them," said Dr. Kenneth Snyder, an associate professor of neurosurgery at UB. "The hospital system is a repair shop. The wellness and prevention is really where we need to do all of our meaningful work."
Snyder, who serves as Fox’s mentor, said what stands out most is not just the idea itself, but the execution.
"He didn’t just come up with an idea. He did it and then implemented it and tested it," Snyder said. "He’s been using it and has a plan of growth."
Fox said the tool is already reaching users, and that impact is driving him to continue refining it.
"Seeing the numbers go up just motivates me to keep doing work and keep improving it," Fox said.
He hopes the platform will continue to expand and help more patients connect to the resources they need after leaving medical care.
The tool is expected to continue evolving as Fox and his team work to expand its reach.
A link to the resource finder can be found here.
