Média

23.7.2026

AGEL is the first healthcare group in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to roll out certified artificial intelligence for colonoscopy support across its entire network of medical facilities. The technology is currently in use at twelve specialized gastroenterology centers operated by AGEL in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, making it one of the largest implementations of artificial intelligence in digestive endoscopy in Central Europe.

The project is part of AGEL's long-term strategy of adopting modern technologies that demonstrably improve the quality of care. "Our goal is not to introduce technology for technology's sake. Every innovation must deliver higher quality of care, greater patient safety, and better working conditions for healthcare professionals. Artificial intelligence in colonoscopy does exactly that. It helps physicians detect early changes that can determine a patient's future, while freeing up their capacity for treatment itself and for communicating with patients," says Michal Pišoja, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of AGEL.

Colorectal cancer has long been among the most common cancers in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Treatment success depends fundamentally on the early detection of precancerous changes and early-stage disease.

The certified artificial intelligence developed by Czech technology company MAIA Labs analyzes the endoscopic image in real time during the examination and alerts the physician to suspicious lesions. It acts as a second pair of eyes for an experienced endoscopist and helps minimize the risk of missing significant findings.

The first clinical results confirm a substantial increase in adenoma detection — precancerous changes whose removal significantly reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer. "Clinical studies have shown a 61% increase in the detection of precancerous lesions per colonoscopy," explains Norbert Schellong, Director of Digital Services and Innovation at AGEL. At the same time, there has been an improvement of nearly 40% in the adenoma detection rate (ADR), which is regarded worldwide as one of the most important quality indicators for screening colonoscopy.

More time for patients through automation

"Early detection is the most effective weapon in the fight against colorectal cancer. But the second part of the project — administrative automation — is equally important. We want physicians to spend less time filling out documentation and more time caring for patients. It is precisely this combination of better diagnostics and more efficient workflow that represents the direction modern healthcare will take in the coming years," adds Schellong.

The solution also includes automatic generation of medical reports, structured documentation of examinations, and standardization of clinical data. The aim is to significantly reduce the administrative burden on healthcare staff and allow physicians to devote more time to patient care.

The next step in the project is completing the integration with the IKIS hospital information system. This will enable structured results to be transferred automatically into the medical record without manual re-entry, and will create a unified documentation standard across AGEL's healthcare facilities.

"The collaboration with the AGEL group has been essential to the development of the ColoMAIA technology. Thanks to the openness of its physicians, the scale of the entire hospital network, and its emphasis on clinical outcomes, we were able to validate the technology in real-world operation and develop it further according to the needs of healthcare professionals. Today, AGEL is one of the first healthcare networks in Europe to use our certified technology at this scale. We greatly appreciate the trust it has placed in our joint project," said Lukáš Loun, CEO and Founder of MAIA Labs.