Europe's AI 'Sherpa' to Guide Surgeons Amidst Physician Shortage

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – March 03, 2026 – A major European research consortium has initiated a series of clinical trials for artificial intelligence designed to act as a “sherpa” for surgeons conducting complex, minimally invasive brain and cancer treatments. The project, a direct response to a looming physician shortage and rising demand for specialized procedures, aims to validate AI and robotic technologies that can automate workflows, enhance precision, and support clinical decision-making.

Coordinated by health technology leader Royal Philips, the four-year, EUR 21.5 million SHERPA project brings together 16 partners from across industry, academia, and medical associations. The initiative is co-funded by the European Union’s Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and industry partners, signaling a significant public-private investment in the future of European healthcare. Seven distinct clinical studies are now underway at five leading European hospitals to test the real-world impact of these AI-powered assistive technologies.

The Looming Crisis and the AI Co-Pilot

The urgency behind the SHERPA project is underscored by stark predictions about the European healthcare workforce. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a potential shortfall of 600,000 physicians across the EU by 2030. The deficit is particularly acute in highly specialized fields like interventional radiology. A 2020 report from The Royal College of Radiologists in the UK, for example, highlighted significant existing shortages, a problem mirrored across the continent.

This workforce crisis is colliding with a growing demand for image-guided, minimally invasive procedures, which are often safer and allow for faster patient recovery but require immense skill and time. Treatments for brain aneurysms and liver tumors are among the most complex, demanding a high level of precision to navigate delicate blood vessels or place ablation needles with sub-millimeter accuracy.

“Demand for image-guided, minimally invasive procedures has outpaced the growth of the specialized workforce,” said Irene van der Schaaf, Professor of Neurovascular Interventional Radiology at UMC Utrecht. “At the same time, procedures are becoming more complex and technology is advancing rapidly, making it harder for teams to keep pace.”

The SHERPA project aims to alleviate this pressure by developing an AI-powered framework that acts as a reliable companion, automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks. This allows highly skilled radiologists to focus their expertise on the most critical aspects of a procedure and on direct patient care.

Inside the Digital Operating Room

During its first year, the consortium has already made significant strides, developing AI algorithms to identify brain aneurysms needing treatment, optimize patient selection for liver tumor ablation, and confirm treatment success. These tools are now being integrated into end-to-end workflows and put to the test in seven clinical studies designed to refine the technology and measure its benefits.

The studies target specific points in the patient care pathway:

• Diagnosis and Risk Assessment: The RADAR study will use AI to improve the detection of brain aneurysms from CT and MR scans, while the Aneurysm@risk study will deploy an algorithm to predict the likelihood of an aneurysm's growth and rupture.

• Procedural Guidance: The ASSIST study focuses on AI-supported device selection and positioning guidance. INTERACT will test software that automatically suggests optimal imaging angles to guide the interventionist. For tumor treatments, the MISTRAL study will evaluate new Cone Beam CT workflows to enhance imaging for liver ablations, while RHODES will compare the efficacy of robotic-assisted lung biopsies against free-hand techniques.

• Post-Procedure Care: The SAFO study will evaluate a digital remote follow-up solution, enabling standardized monitoring and better care coordination for brain aneurysm patients after their procedure.

Key technology partners are driving these innovations. Sim&Cure, a French MedTech firm, is leveraging its expertise in 3D visualization to enhance treatment planning for aneurysms. Meanwhile, Interventional Systems is developing a new generation of portable, wireless robotic systems designed for precise, autonomous needle steering during tumor ablations.

A Blueprint for European Health Innovation

The SHERPA project is more than a technological endeavor; it represents a strategic model for pan-European collaboration. The consortium unites industry giants like Philips and Medtronic with specialized firms such as Sim&Cure and Barco, five top-tier academic hospitals, and influential medical societies, including the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) and the European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT).

This public-private partnership structure, supported by a EUR 13.6 million grant from the EU's IHI, allows for the pooling of financial resources, technical expertise, and clinical data on a scale that would be difficult for any single entity to achieve. The goal is to create a validated framework that can accelerate the adoption of these technologies across the continent.

“Over the past year, the SHERPA project has brought together a talented team of researchers who have developed a technology framework designed to make workflow automation a reliable companion,” said Bert van Meurs, Chief Business Leader for Image Guided Therapy at Royal Philips. “By providing a template for the future adoption of AI-enabled assistive technologies and accelerating the associated learning curve, this framework will help address the increased demand for interventional (neuro)radiologists in Europe and beyond.”

Navigating the Path to Widespread Adoption

While the technology shows immense promise, its path to the patient is governed by rigorous regulatory standards. Any AI-powered system classified as a medical device must comply with the EU’s stringent Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which requires extensive clinical evidence of safety and performance, robust quality management systems, and continuous post-market surveillance.

Navigating this complex landscape is a key challenge, especially for adaptive AI algorithms that learn and evolve over time. The SHERPA consortium has strategically included medical societies like CIRSE and ESMINT to ensure the technology is not only safe and effective but also clinically relevant and seamlessly integrated into practice. These organizations will play a crucial role in developing training programs to help the next generation of radiologists master these new tools.

The ultimate vision is not to replace human experts but to augment their capabilities. By handling routine tasks and providing data-driven insights, the AI ‘sherpa’ can free up physicians to perform at the top of their license, potentially improving job satisfaction, reducing burnout, and, most importantly, expanding patient access to life-saving minimally invasive treatments.