SENSORA deployment across Wayne General Hospital’s Emergency and Primary Care departments brings AI-assisted cardiac assessment to the front lines of rural healthcare. Photo: Eko Health
Feb. 26, 2026 — Eko Health has partnered with Wayne General Hospital in Wayne County, Mississippi, to deploy SENSORA, an AI-assisted cardiac detection platform, across the hospital's emergency and primary care departments. The deployment integrates FDA-cleared artificial intelligence directly into frontline clinical workflows, supporting earlier identification of potential structural heart disease, low ejection fraction, and atrial fibrillation during both acute and routine examinations.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and later-stage presentation observed across rural communities. Individuals living in these communities are approximately 40 percent more likely to develop heart disease (AHA), and cardiovascular mortality rates are as much as 1.5 times higher than in urban areas (ACC). Health systems serving these populations often evaluate high-acuity patients without immediate specialty support, making early frontline assessment critical to determining appropriate care pathways.
With SENSORA, Wayne General clinicians can capture high-fidelity heart sounds with Eko's digital stethoscope, analyzed by FDA-cleared AI algorithms in under one minute to surface potential cardiac risk at the point of care. The platform was rapidly implemented across Emergency and Primary Care environments, with providers, nurses, and medical assistants trained quickly and incorporated into clear escalation pathways.
"As the only hospital serving Wayne County, we take our role in supporting the community seriously," said Andrew Porter, Chief Executive Officer of Wayne General Hospital. "Deploying SENSORA allows our teams to act with greater confidence during both emergency and routine visits. Identifying cardiac risk earlier helps us make faster, more informed decisions for our patients while keeping care close to home. It's a practical innovation that supports our focus on providing the high-quality care our community relies on every day."
Wayne General Hospital was selected in 2025 to participate in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration (RCHD) program, a federal initiative administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) designed to support innovative care models that strengthen access and long-term sustainability for community hospitals. As part of this designation, Wayne General has prioritized technologies that enhance clinical decision-making and expand access to advanced care capabilities within everyday practice. The deployment of AI-assisted auscultation reflects the hospital's broader commitment to innovation and illustrates how advanced early detection capabilities can be integrated into community-based clinical settings beyond large academic medical centers.
"Wayne General is demonstrating how advanced cardiac screening can be integrated into frontline care in a way that is practical and scalable," said Jason Bellet, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Eko Health. "With Eko SENSORA, clinicians can identify potential cardiac disease earlier without adding complexity to already busy clinical environments. This type of deployment shows how earlier detection can be expanded across community-based health systems without changing how care teams already work."
The decision to implement SENSORA comes amid continued progress in clinical adoption and emerging reimbursement pathways for AI-driven tools. For example, a new Category III CPT code now allows health systems to integrate validated AI technologies into routine care more easily. These developments have bolstered Wayne General's adoption of SENSORA and signal growing momentum toward broader use of AI-assisted cardiac detection across diverse healthcare settings.
Go to www.ekohealth.com to learn more.
February 11, 2026 
