Renown has announced the release of DANA, a holographic avatar that will greet individuals outside Renown Regional Medical Center’s Sierra Café, and talk to them about the Healthy Nevada Project, a community-based genetic population health study.

“Unfortunately, Nevada ranks among the lowest in the nation for health outcomes—and we are working to change that,” said Anthony Slonim, M.D., DrPH, president and CEO of Renown Health and president of Renown Institute for Health Innovation. “Through the Healthy Nevada Project®, our goal is to offer genetic testing to every Nevadan interested in learning more about their health and genetic profile. Thanks to this advanced technology, DANA will offer people a personalized explanation of the Project, and help them take the next step to better understand their health, and their health risks, so they can modify their behavior and ultimately, live a healthier, happier life.”

Officials say the Healthy Nevada Project has more than 51,000 study participants enrolled to date.

They say the project is also the first of its kind to return clinical results to study volunteers, which means participants can learn their genetic risks tied to heart disease and certain cancers, as well as lifestyle changes that could potentially help reduce their risk and prevent disease. Participants can also choose to share their information with their medical provider.

“We are always happy to engage with our study participants and look forward to having them meet and engage with DANA,” said Joseph Grzymski, Ph.D., research professor at DRI, principal investigator of the Healthy Nevada Project® and chief scientific officer for Renown Health. “At a time of physical distancing and limiting human contact where possible, using tools like an avatar and AI are important for communicating, whether it be for genetics, vaccinations or other important health information.” 

Officials say visitors can interact with DANA through a touch screen (cleaned and sanitized after every encounter) to learn more about the study, enter their contact information and schedule an appointment to join the free genetics study or receive more information about their test results.

They ask kiosk visitors to maintain physical distance guidelines and use the hand sanitizer and SaniWipes available next to the kiosk.