Roll-out of AI receptionists

The roll-out of artificial intelligence to booking medical appointments in order to reduce the number of missed appointments is much to be welcomed.

Thankfully, I have only a small number of appointments that are not kept for a variety of reasons.

Across the NHS, the scale of the problem can be alarming and is costing the health service a total of £1.2 billion.

In 2023, eight million, or 6.5 per cent, of the 124.5 million outpatient appointments in England involved a non-show.

Cutting waiting lists

Reducing missed appointments will help to cut waiting lists and improve the efficiency and time-management of the NHS.

Now software has been created using AI that can predict potential Did Not Attends (DNAs) and, following a trial in Essex, the roll-out of AI receptionists is to be extended to 10 more NHS trusts in England.

The AI programme, created by tech firm Deep Medical, uses insights including people’s jobs, childcare commitments, live traffic and weather updates to determine who is most unlikely to show up and maximise doctors’ time.

The software’s creators, an AI expert and junior doctor turned clinical entrepreneur, claim their product can predict DNAs with 90 per cent accuracy.

How it works

Through machine learning, the programme is then able to populate a doctor’s patient list for the day to include additional patients.

For example, it would calculate 21 people for 20 consultant slots on the basis that one person would not turn up.

If all 21 did attend, the doctor would claim the extra time back spent working in lieu, which is also factored into future scheduling.

In the pilot at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the programme reduced DNAs by 30 per cent over a six-month period, with just 377 people not turning up for an appointment.

It meant an extra 1,910 people were seen and is forecast to save the trust £27.5 million in a single year.

Hospitals in London, Newcastle, Northampton, Surrey and Devon are among those set to benefit and more are likely to sign up, it is understood, without any detriment to patient appointments.

I have attended a presentation about the innovative AI technology and I hope that we may be able to adopt the software in the near future.

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