#18. W/c 13th January '25
Alastair Allen
Partner, Head of Healthcare Technology at EY | Board Member at openEHR UK | Health and Social Care Council Member at TechUK
Lots of interesting news this week: how GPs are leveraging AI to reduce administration burden, the potential of new wearable tech to enhance mental health, and the critical role of technology in reducing elective waiting lists. Additionally, the emergence of AI agents in healthcare, and the implications of the UK’s AI Action Plan on health and care. Finally, Particle Health's response to Epic's legal motion.
GPs turn to AI to help with patient workload
I still don't understand why the adoption of ambient artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the administration burden on health and care professionals is still so low—it is one of the highest impact and lowest barrier use cases for AI that I’m aware of.
So it was good to see this BBC news article on how GPs in the UK are increasingly using AI to manage their patient workload more effectively. Dr Deepali Misra-Sharp, a GP in Birmingham, employs AI tool Heidi Health to assist with medical transcriptions during patient appointments. This technology allows her to focus more directly on her patients, improving the quality of consultations by reducing the need to take notes manually, thus saving time and minimising errors.
As the number of patients per GP grows, AI solutions are being explored as a means to ease the administrative burden on medical professionals. Research by Health Education England noted that technology could save a minute per patient, translating into millions of hours of GP time. Additionally, a study from Oxford University suggested that a significant portion of administrative tasks could be automated, freeing up more time for patient care.
In related US news, Mayo Clinic will implement Abridge's AI-powered clinical documentation platform across its enterprise, initially involving around 2,000 clinicians who care for over a million patients annually in various specialties. This initiative expands their collaboration to improve clinical documentation, building upon previous efforts to enhance nursing workflows. A rigorous evaluation confirmed Abridge's ability to produce high-quality clinical notes that meet Mayo Clinic's standards.
Can a new class of wearable tech actively boost your mental health?
Traditionally focused on physical health, the wearables industry is now targeting mental health with devices that analyse and potentially improve the nervous system. This article explores whether these devices are effective.
Devices like the Muse headband, which uses EEG technology, provide real-time feedback on brain state to aid meditation and stress reduction. Independent studies suggest some benefits, such as improved sleep and mood, though their clinical impact is debated. Another device, Mendi, uses fNIRS to monitor brain activity, but the technology lacks extensive clinical trials.
Some wearables, like Nurosym, stimulate the nervous system through neuromodulation, targeting the vagus nerve to reduce stress and anxiety. However, experts remain sceptical about the effectiveness of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation due to limited evidence.
Despite these innovations, comprehensive, placebo-controlled trials are needed to validate their effectiveness. The article concludes that while the technology is promising, it is still in its early stages, and users should remain cautious.
Read more: https://apple.news/AOo_hS7CISg6dRKusp_MKDw
Why technology is key to cutting elective waiting lists
Dr Vin Diwakar, the national director of transformation at NHS England, stresses the crucial role of technology in reducing elective waiting lists and reforming care services. By the end of 2024, one in nine individuals in England awaited elective care, with many waiting over 18 weeks. A new government and NHS England plan aims to cut waiting times and ensure 92% of patients are treated within 18 weeks by March 2029, largely through technological advancements.
Key initiatives include upgrading digital infrastructure, enhancing data platforms, and developing the NHS App into a comprehensive digital healthcare hub. The app, already accessed monthly by over 10 million users, will simplify appointment management and improve healthcare accessibility. New features such as a "ping and book" service for screening reminders are being integrated to increase uptake and save lives.
The federated data platform will enhance NHS efficiency, reduce discharge delays, and optimise operating theatre use. The NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) will facilitate immediate referral bookings, minimising paper-based processes. Additionally, AI implementation is being piloted to identify patients likely to miss appointments and provide necessary support to reduce no-shows.
Read more: https://www.digitalhealth.net/2025/01/why-technology-is-key-to-cutting-elective-waiting-lists/
AI Agents Design New SARS-CoV-2 Nanobodies
AI agents have been getting a lot of press recently, and I am intrigued by the opportunities they present for healthcare. This study outlines a Virtual Lab that utilises AI to facilitate interdisciplinary scientific research by combining AI-driven agents with human researchers. This innovative approach was demonstrated by designing nanobodies to target SARS-CoV-2 variants. Through AI-human collaboration, 92 new nanobody candidates were created, with two showing improved binding properties to viral variants, suggesting potential for further development.
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The Virtual Lab illustrates AI's ability to improve scientific discovery, enabling rapid progress in biomedicine by integrating scientific expertise and state-of-the-art computational techniques. As AI technology evolves, such collaborative frameworks can enhance the breadth and impact of interdisciplinary research, overcoming traditional barriers faced by isolated researchers.
The study underlines AI's role as a strategic partner in scientific research rather than just a tool, highlighting its capacity to contribute significantly to real-world applications, such as developing new therapeutic solutions in response to rising challenges like ever-evolving viral pathogens.
The UK AI Action Plan
This week, we saw the UK government’s AI Action Plan, which aims to position Britain as a leader in Artificial Intelligence. The plan, presented by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, outlines strategies to enhance AI's role in economic growth, job creation, and improving public services.
Key components of the Action Plan include expanding computational power and data accessibility to drive AI innovation, promoting AI education and skills training to bridge talent gaps, and ensuring AI's safe and trustworthy adoption through appropriate regulation.
Additionally, the plan seeks to accelerate AI usage in government services through a "Scan > Pilot > Scale" approach, enhancing digital infrastructure, and fostering collaboration with private sectors to reinforce AI development and deployment.
The plan is ambitious, and I like it’s sense of urgency. The Prime Minister has committed to taking forward all 50 recommendations, so it will be interesting to see how this translates into meaningful impact across health and social care — areas where the urgency of AI adoption cannot be understated.
Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-opportunities-action-plan/ai-opportunities-action-plan
Digital Innovation For Mental Health Services
Ireland's mental health care has evolved from inpatient to community-based systems, yet demand exceeds capacity, especially among young people. Over 3,800 children and adolescents await mental health service, with significant waiting lists for primary care psychology. A staffing shortage and population growth intensify this strain on services. Although funding has increased, further resources are necessary to meet demand and reach targets set by policy initiatives like Sláintecare.
Digital innovation presents a transformative opportunity to bridge this gap. Technology could offer rapid assessments, real-time monitoring, and improved access, elevating care quality and capacity. However, integrating technology requires bold leadership and strategic partnerships across sectors. Such collaboration is necessary to redefine mental health services, focusing on prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.
Human empathy is indispensable in mental health care, but technology can augment clinician efforts, offering smart triage and real-time feedback without replacing human interaction. The integration of digital tools necessitates a shift in care models, moving beyond traditional one-to-one approaches. Embracing technology's advantages, such as apps, online platforms, and augmented intelligence, can enhance current service models.
However, digital solutions must be flexible, accommodating personal preferences and needs, ensuring technology is used as a tool, not a substitute for care. Effective integration will require a paradigm shift in care assumptions and full-system engagement, avoiding piecemeal solutions. Upcoming strategies, like the HSE’s Digital Mental Health Strategy, are key in setting out this ambitious vision for a connected, world-class mental health system. Public-private partnerships are essential to leverage resources and expertise, ensuring an intelligently designed, digitally enhanced care framework.
Particle Health responds to Epic's motion to dismiss
The Epic information-blocking saga continues.? Particle Health has filed a response to a motion by Epic to dismiss a court complaint accusing the latter of violating federal antitrust laws. Particle Health claims that Epic actively sought to eliminate its market share in the payer platform sector, asserting that Epic made knowingly false statements to this end. Epic, a major player in electronic health records (EHR), has denied any wrongdoing, arguing it is protecting patient privacy and is determined to defend against what it terms "meritless" claims.
The dispute centres on Epic's alleged efforts to suppress competition by intimidating Particle’s customers and publicising industry conflicts to instil fear. Epic claimed that Particle’s operations involved inappropriate access to patient records through the Carequality health information exchange network.
Epic argues that Particle facilitated customer access to private medical records under false pretences, which in turn, led to measures taken to secure patient privacy. Particle, however, maintains that its case against Epic illustrates the latter's monopolistic practices aimed at maintaining market dominance, allegedly using illegal tactics which include defamation.
The legal clash between Particle Health and Epic underscores ongoing tensions in the healthcare tech sector over data exchange and market control.
As ever Alastair, a great summary - mandatory reading for anyone in Health Tech. The AI Opportunities Action Plan is worrying to me. It emphasizes economic growth and innovation over AI safety and its focus has shifted toward fostering AI development and reducing regulatory barriers. The issue for me is that the success of AI is just as much a social issue as a technical issue and is this Action Plan balancing innovation enough with public trust and managing risks associated with AI systems - especially in healthcare? I am fearful that it doesn’t. Additionally, companies selling AI-based solutions into the EU must comply with the EU AI Act if their products or services interact with EU consumers or are deployed within the EU. This act has risk and safety at its core. Is the UK AI Action Plan another attempt to show the “sunny uplands” of Brexit. Again I am fearful and that we won’t find them in AI.
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1 个月Alastair Allen This event may interest you: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/7271991540854444033/about/
Building Healthcare with sustainable strategies | Former CNIO with 24+ years of experience, now applying that expertise to recruitment solutions.
1 个月I look forwards to reading, I released a newsletter article two days ago covering advances in tech in Au Healthcare. Thanks Alastair Allen ??