Wayne General Hospital Partners with Eko Health to Deploy AI-Assisted Cardiac Detection in Rural Mississippi

WAYNESBORO, Miss. and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – February 26, 2026 — Wayne General Hospital, the primary community hospital serving Wayne County, Mississippi, and surrounding areas, today announced a partnership with Eko Health to deploy SENSORA, an AI-assisted cardiac detection platform, across its Emergency and Primary Care departments. The deployment brings AI-assisted stethoscope technology directly into clinical workflows, supporting earlier identification of potential cardiac abnormalities 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.

About Wayne General Hospital

Wayne General Hospital is a community-owned acute care hospital serving Wayne County, Mississippi, and surrounding rural areas. Founded in 1951 and now the sole hospital in Wayne County, it provides 24/7 emergency care, comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services to southeast Mississippi. Accredited by DNV and awarded the Gold Seal of Approval® for quality, and designated as a Baby-Friendly birth facility, Wayne General Hospital is committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care close to home. In 2025, Wayne General was selected as one of only 30 hospitals nationwide in CMS’s Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program, highlighting its innovative efforts to sustain and strengthen rural healthcare access. 

For more information, visit waynegeneralhospital.org.

About Eko Health

Eko Health is a pioneering AI early disease detection company advancing how healthcare professionals detect and monitor heart and lung disease with its portfolio of digital stethoscopes, ECG devices, software, and AI-powered analysis. Its FDA-cleared platform, with more than 700,000 devices sold worldwide, helps clinicians detect earlier and manage treatment more effectively to improve patient outcomes. Eko Health is headquartered in Emeryville, California.

For more information, visit ekohealth.com.

About SENSORA®

SENSORA® is Eko Health’s cardiac disease detection platform that integrates FDA-cleared and clinically validated AI algorithms with Eko’s digital stethoscopes to bring advanced cardiac analysis to the front lines of care. By delivering real-time insights during routine exams, SENSORA helps clinicians identify potential structural murmurs, low ejection fraction, and atrial fibrillation with greater confidence. Designed for seamless integration within existing clinical workflows, SENSORA supports earlier detection, improved efficiency, and greater access to specialty-level cardiac assessment.

Media contact

Sam Moore
sam.moore@ekohealth.com