#15. W/c 9th December '24
Alastair Allen
Partner, Head of Healthcare Technology at EY | Board Member at openEHR UK | Health and Social Care Council Member at TechUK
This week: Microsoft enlists former DeepMind talent for their AI health unit, while Axial3D collaborates to broaden access to patient-specific 3D models. NHSE faces clinical registry opposition and Dr. Ronan Glynn critiques capacity solutions, while frustration with American healthcare grows and the King Fund outlines a radically realistic vision for adult social care.
What Doctors Like Me Know About Americans’ Health Care Anger
The NHS faces many issues, but the complexity of the US insurance system is not one of them. Dr. Helen Ouyang, an emergency physician, highlights the frustration and complexity faced by both doctors and patients due to the convoluted nature of the American health insurance system. In a poignant article, she recounts an incident with a patient who was seriously ill in the emergency room who was more concerned about whether his insurance would cover his hospital stay than about his critical health condition. This dilemma underscores the pervasive uncertainty surrounding health insurance coverage in the U.S., where different insurers often have varying coverage policies, eroding the trust between patients and doctors.
The piece underscores a broader anger and demand for change within the American healthcare system, exacerbated by the recent killing of Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, the country’s largest health insurer.
Axial3D Launches Collaboration to Expand Access to Patient-Specific 3D Models for MRI-based Imaging
It's always good to see a local Northern Ireland-based firm doing well.? Axial3D, a specialist in AI-powered 3D medical imaging, has announced a collaboration agreement with GE HealthCare to enhance access to patient-specific 3D models based on MRI imaging.
This partnership integrates GE’s bone imaging application with Axial3D's AI-driven segmentation platform, to provide advanced 3D modelling services. This allows for radiation-free 3D visualisations and 3D printed anatomical models, potentially reducing the need for additional CT scans. This innovation seeks to make 3D visualisation and printed models more accessible, eliminating costly investments in equipment and personnel.
Microsoft’s Mustafa Suleyman hires ex-DeepMind staff for AI health unit
Mustafa Suleyman, who joined Microsoft earlier this year, is assembling a team for a new AI health division by hiring former DeepMind staff. Suleyman, a co-founder of DeepMind, has recruited Dominic King, previously head of DeepMind's health unit, and Christopher Kelly, a clinical research scientist, along with others.
This strategic move comes as tech companies aim to leverage advancements in AI to create profitable consumer health applications. Microsoft’s health unit will focus on using generative AI for consumer health queries, recognising the growing interest in health-related questions addressed by AI chatbots.
While Google DeepMind's health efforts once grew significantly under Suleyman, they faced scrutiny over data security, resulting in the unit's transition to a Google-led operation in 2019. Suleyman departed from DeepMind the same year, later creating AI start-up Inflection, until joining Microsoft along with most of Inflection’s staff.
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NHSE to consult on clinical registry data plans following opposition
NHS England is set to consult on plans to consolidate data from clinical registries into a single registry platform, following pushback from patient groups. The proposed NHS England Outcome Registries Platform (ORP) aims to unify over 37 clinical registries, with several already earmarked for inclusion.
However, concerns have emerged about transparency and engagement with stakeholders, such as clinical registry providers and patient groups. In response, NHSE has formed an expert reference group to craft a draft National Clinical Audits and Registries strategy, to be consulted on in 2025.
Stella Vig, NHS national medical director, noted NHSE's commitment to involving stakeholders in shaping future clinical audits and patient safety developments. Despite stakeholder engagement, the ORP initiative remains active, particularly in medical device data collection.
Dr Ronan Glynn: We can’t build our way out of the capacity issues in the health service
As political attention in Ireland shifts from election campaigns to government formation, the healthcare debate pivots towards addressing winter pressures and long-term challenges posed by an ageing population. Despite a 70% increase in Irish health funding since 2019, healthcare providers are struggling to meet demand, with critical workforce shortages and rising costs.
Ronan argues for a paradigm shift, viewing health not as a cost but as an investment in economic growth and societal well-being. He emphasises the need for prevention, digital innovation, and addressing health inequalities to build a resilient, efficient healthcare system. To support this the upcoming government must adopt a strategic vision that integrates health investment with economic prosperity, leveraging digital health for sustainable transformation.
Radically realistic vision adult social care
Adult social care in England has faced significant challenges for the past two decades, with reforms failing to address problems such as stringent means tests, excessive costs, inferior care quality, and a fragmented provider market. Despite recognising these issues, successive governments have struggled to implement a clear and effective vision for improvement. The concept of a 'radically realistic' plan for adult social care aims to combine significant reform and attainable objectives, enabling widespread enhancements in care delivery.
The vision is structured around four principles: availability, personalisation, quality, and eligibility. It seeks to ensure that care services are accessible and tailored to individual needs, delivered with high quality by adequately trained and compensated staff, and that eligibility criteria are fair, allowing more people to access necessary care. The current system's failings are attributed to governmental neglect and inadequate investment rather than the impracticality of these principles.
The proposal suggests incremental reforms rather than a fundamental overhaul, enabling faster and more cost-effective improvements. Government participation from multiple parties is deemed crucial for successful reform, allowing for quick advancement in social care, which is essential for the future health and wellbeing of the population.