AI Software: Dr. Chris Bates, Director of Research and Analytics at TPP
A leading data scientist has hailed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) after it helped cut the number of patients skipping GP appointments by almost a third.
Chris Bates, director of research and analytics at clinical software company TPP, said his company's technology could save the cash-strapped NHS a fortune. No-shows account for more than a million missed GP appointments every month – the equivalent of one in every 20 scheduled consultations.
This increases pressure on a healthcare system already struggling with the demands of an aging population.
Now Leeds-based TPP has developed an AI tool that predicts which patients are most likely to not attend their appointments.
The company uses machine learning models to analyze patient behavior patterns based on a range of factors. Its algorithms analyze demographic details including age, gender, and appointment booking date.
Young people from a lower socio-economic background in and around cities are more likely to miss GP appointments, Bates told the newspaper.
He said patients who lived close to a GP surgery were more likely to skip a consultation than those who lived further away, although it was not clear why this was the case.
Armed with information about the type of patient who is most likely to skip an appointment, general surgeons can take action to get them to show up, such as texting them or speaking to them on the phone.
The idea is not to try to deny patients the opportunity to see their GP based on an AI profile, but rather to encourage them to attend by giving them additional reminders.
“There has been a lot of hype around AI in healthcare and not enough delivery – we are changing this,” Bates said.
“This is a great example of what machine learning will bring to healthcare, helping to address real problems for frontline teams and patients.”
Missed appointments cost the NHS £216 million a year – enough to pay the salaries of 2,325 full-time doctors – according to its own figures.
A successful trial in Norfolk of AI technology is currently being rolled out across the country.
“Since we started using the report, we have seen the DNA (no-show) rate drop by 30 per cent, which equates to hundreds of appointments since the start of the pilot,” said Karen Bell, director of surgery at Trinity and Bowthorpe Clinic. In Norwich.
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