![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/young-doctor-with-diary-sitting-desk-medical-clinic.jpg)
Ireland’s new legislation to revolutionise digital health records
In a significant move to enhance healthcare management, Ireland’s Department of Health has introduced the Health Information Bill 2024, poised to revolutionise the management of digital health records across the nation. This pivotal legislation follows the approval of the Irish Government and is specifically crafted to create a comprehensive legal framework facilitating the efficient sharing of patient data necessary for care and treatment.
This legislative initiative aligns with Ireland’s obligations under the impending European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation, set for implementation within the year. The Health Information Bill 2024 aims to establish a robust national health information system, designed to significantly improve the quality of patient care as well as the planning and delivery of healthcare services.
A cornerstone of this initiative, as outlined by the Department of Health, is the bill’s crucial role in the successful implementation of the ‘Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024 – 2030’. This framework, launched in June, 2024, outlines a strategy for integrating digital technology into healthcare systems over the next several years.
Upon enactment, the bill will empower the Health Service Executive (HSE) to amalgamate health information across diverse care settings—encompassing private, public, and voluntary sectors. This comprehensive consolidation is intended to facilitate the development and deployment of digital health records accessible to all patients across Ireland.
Moreover, the bill proposes enhanced accessibility of health information for both patients and healthcare providers, which is anticipated to lead to improved health outcomes. It also focuses on augmenting patient safety by refining patient identification processes, incorporating tools like Eircode and the Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to seamlessly integrate patient data with Ireland’s national digital strategy.
Ireland’s Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, emphasised the importance of integrated care, as envisioned in the Sláintecare reform. He stated, “Integrated care as envisioned in Sláintecare, needs the right information, in the right place, at the right time. The Health Information Bill gives patients greater access to their own information so they can make informed decisions about their health and care options. It also enables health professionals to have a more complete, holistic view of the patients they are treating.”
Minister Donnelly also noted that the bill is slated to progress through the Houses of the Oireachtas during the upcoming autumn legislative session. Furthermore, additional legislative measures are planned for the forthcoming months and years to fully realise the policy intent of the approved General Scheme of the Bill and to ensure compliance with the EHDS implementation deadlines set for 2026 to 2030. This series of legislative updates underscores Ireland’s commitment to a fully integrated and digitally enhanced healthcare system.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/drone-flying-green-field.jpg)
NHS Wales prepares for drone-based transfer service for blood products
In an ambitious stride towards modernising healthcare delivery, NHS Wales is set to embrace drone technology for transporting blood products, as revealed in a recent initiative involving key stakeholders from the aerospace and healthcare sectors. The initiative, which is gaining momentum, includes the pioneering Welsh NHS Medical Drone Delivery Network project. This project has been recognised as one of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge winners, spotlighting its innovative approach to healthcare logistics.
Scheduled for an exhibition on 11 July 2024 at Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, this demonstration will bring together government and healthcare leaders to witness the potential of drone technology in revolutionising medical service delivery. The event is pivotal for garnering support and setting a strategic direction for the integration of drones into the NHS framework.
The Welsh NHS Medical Drone Delivery Network project is spearheaded by Snowdonia Aerospace in collaboration with SLiNK-TECH Ltd and the Welsh Health Drone Innovation Partnership. This consortium, under the leadership of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and supported by the Welsh Blood Service, has secured a significant £500,000 funding in April 2024 from Innovate UK. This funding is part of a broader initiative that supports five health sector projects aimed at leveraging drones for the delivery of medicines and medical supplies.
In his April 2024 statement, following the announcement of the Future Flight Challenge winners, Health Minister Andrew Stephenson reflected on the transformative potential of technology within the NHS: “Technology has huge potential to transform the NHS for patients but it can also help automate processes behind the scenes too. These projects will help future-proof our medical supply chains by using drones to deliver medical products, reducing the chances of supply disruption while saving costs, energy, and resources. If successful, they could be rolled out across the NHS to boost resilience and help people live more independent lives, building on the government’s long-term ambitions.”
Echoing this sentiment, Simon Masters, Deputy Director of the Future Flight Challenge, emphasised the synergistic benefits of this cross-sector collaboration: “This partnership between the drone industry and the medical sector highlights the value that drones can bring to our front-line public services.”
The initiative also includes exploratory projects, such as the collaborative effort with the University of Warwick and industry partners SkyBound, to investigate the feasibility of using drones to deliver defibrillators in emergency scenarios involving cardiac arrests. This investigation, known as the Drone-Delivered Defibrillators study or 3D project, is backed by funding from Resuscitation Council UK and is set to conclude in October 2024, with results expected in early 2025.
This development follows other successful trials, such as the one conducted by University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which utilised drones for transporting pathology samples, as reported by Digital Health News in September 2022.
With a business case and roadmap due for submission to the Welsh government by the end of 2024, NHS Wales is poised at the brink of a logistical revolution, promising enhanced efficiency and responsiveness in healthcare delivery.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/businessman-holding-smartphone-with-triangle-caution-warning-sign-notification-error-maintenance-concept.jpg)
AI-generated alerts proven to reduce death risk in hospital patients
Recent research highlights the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving patient outcomes in hospitals. AI-generated alerts, designed to notify hospital staff of any significant changes in a patient’s condition, have been found to dramatically reduce the risk of mortality.
The innovative system increases the likelihood of timely medical intervention, with patients 43% more likely to have their care escalated, markedly boosting survival rates. According to Matthew Levin, Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at The Mount Sinai Hospital, this approach leverages AI and machine learning technologies to proactively address potential declines in patient health. “We wanted to see if quick alerts made by AI and machine learning, trained on many different types of patient data, could help reduce both how often patients need intensive care and their chances of dying in the hospital,” Levin explained.
Traditionally, tools like the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) have been used to assess the risk of clinical deterioration. However, Levin points out that the automated machine learning algorithms used in this study surpass these older methods in both accuracy and timeliness, facilitating earlier and potentially life-saving interventions.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of these AI alerts across four surgical units at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, encompassing a total of 2,740 patients. These individuals were divided into two groups: the first group received real-time alerts about health deterioration directly to their doctors or rapid response teams, while the second group had alerts generated but not immediately transmitted to their healthcare providers.
David Reich, President of The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens and a leading figure in both Anesthesiology and Artificial Intelligence and Human Health at Icahn Mount Sinai, highlighted the substantial impact of real-time, AI-driven alerts on patient care. “Our research shows that real-time alerts using machine learning can substantially improve patient outcomes,” Reich stated. He described these tools as “augmented intelligence” that enhance clinical decisions, ensuring that timely and appropriate interventions are made to improve patient safety and outcomes, aligning with the goals of a learning health system.
Further benefits of the AI alert system include a higher likelihood of patients receiving necessary medications for heart and circulation issues, alongside a decreased mortality rate within 30 days of care. The system is under continual development, with a dedicated team of intensive care doctors assessing high-risk patients daily, providing targeted recommendations to the treating physicians. This ongoing refinement of the algorithm, driven by an increasing amount of patient data, is enhancing its accuracy and reliability.
This study not only reaffirms the critical role of AI in modern healthcare but also points towards a future where technology and human expertise converge to deliver superior patient care.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/blue_bghex_08.jpg)
AI enhances efficiency of artificial pancreas, study confirms
Recent research conducted by the University of Virginia’s Center for Diabetes Technology reveals that incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into an artificial pancreas system can significantly improve its operational efficiency. This innovative study marks a crucial advancement in the management of type 1 diabetes.
The study highlights that an AI-equipped artificial pancreas system is comparable in performance to a state-of-the-art experimental version in maintaining optimal blood glucose levels. The integration of AI not only matches the effectiveness of advanced systems but also offers potential applications in other medical devices that require minimal computational resources, like insulin pumps.
Dr Boris Kovatchev, the study’s lead author, emphasised the novelty of their approach, stating, “So far, this is the first clinical trial of a data-driven artificial pancreas system, which used an extensively trained neural network to deliver insulin automatically.” This system represents a significant shift towards more autonomous patient care in diabetes management.
The experimental setup involved 15 adult participants who used both the advanced artificial pancreas and the AI-enhanced system for 20 hours each. Results showed that the traditional advanced system kept blood sugar levels within the target range 87% of the time, closely followed by the AI-supported system at 86%.
Notably, the research demonstrated that the AI-supported pancreas system drastically cuts down the computational load by six times compared to traditional methods. “The AI-supported artificial pancreas is therefore more suitable for implementation in devices with low processing power, such as insulin pumps or pods,” the report noted, pointing towards a broader applicability in diabetes care technology.
Dr Kovatchev further explained the technical breakthroughs, saying, “Neural-net implementation allows the algorithm to learn from the data of the person wearing the system. This opens the door to real-time, AI-driven personalised insulin delivery.” This adaptation could lead to more tailored and effective diabetes management solutions for individuals.
The findings, published in the journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, set a precedent for the future of diabetes care, highlighting the critical role of AI in enhancing the functionality and efficiency of medical devices aimed at chronic disease management.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/playful-cute-girl-holding-shoe-bed.jpg)
Advancements in infant precision medicine through creation of ‘digital babies’
In an ambitious collaboration between the University of Galway and Heidelberg University, along with the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies and Heidelberg University Hospital, a breakthrough has been made in the realm of infant healthcare through the development of ‘digital babies’. These are sophisticated computational models that replicate the metabolic processes of newborn infants, aiming to enhance the precision in diagnosing and treating their medical conditions.
At the Digital Metabolic Twin Centre at the University of Galway, the team utilised real-world data gathered from a significant cohort of 10,000 newborns. This data encompassed various parameters including sex, birth weight, and metabolite concentrations. From this, the researchers successfully constructed 360 detailed whole-body computational models. These models are specifically designed to emulate the metabolic systems of infants over their first six months of life.
Published on 3 June 2024 in the journal Cell Metabolism, the findings of this study underscore the efficacy of these models. Not only were they capable of predicting known biomarkers for inherited metabolic diseases, but they also accurately forecasted the metabolic responses infants would have to different treatment methodologies.
Elaine Zaunseder, the lead author from Heidelberg University, highlighted the unique metabolic characteristics of babies, which are pivotal for their growth and health. She explained, “Babies require more energy for body temperature regulation due to their high surface-area-to-mass ratio and the fact that they cannot shiver during the first six months. Our task was to decode these metabolic activities and integrate them into mathematical frameworks within our computational models.”
Zaunseder also emphasised that this research marks a significant initial stride towards creating digital twins for infants. Such digital twins could potentially transform paediatric healthcare by offering customised disease management that aligns with the distinct metabolic needs of each infant.
Professor Ines Thiele, who led the project, stressed the importance of newborn screening programmes which are vital for the early detection of metabolic diseases, thus improving survival rates and health outcomes for infants. “However,” she noted, “the observed variability in disease manifestation among babies highlights the critical need for personalised treatment plans. Our models enable in-depth studies into the metabolism of both healthy and diseased infants, including those conditions screened for in newborns.”
Parallel to these developments, Imperial College London announced in May 2024 that their researchers are also working on digital twin models, specifically heart models for NHS patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension. This indicates a broader trend towards adopting digital twin technology across various areas of healthcare, promising more targeted and effective treatment strategies.
![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/helsinki-cityscape-saint-nicholas-cathedral-market-square-here-is-presidential-palace-city-hall.jpg)
How Finland’s Digital Health Village is redefining healthcare delivery
Launched in 2016, Finland’s Digital Health Village represents a pioneering digital service platform within the healthcare and social welfare sectors. This platform integrates digital care pathways with expert information online, designed to alleviate pressure on traditional healthcare infrastructures and improve service delivery. The initiative has not only met but surpassed its expectations, notably by enabling healthcare workers to allocate time to additional patients each day, thus enhancing operational efficiency.
Globally, healthcare systems face challenges such as ageing populations, increasing demand for services, workforce shortages, lengthening treatment queues, and financial constraints. In 2023, the Finnish government allocated over EUR 20 billion to its 21 wellbeing services counties, a substantial portion of the national budget, highlighting the growing financial demands on healthcare and social welfare. The Southern Finland healthcare system alone employs around 60,000 professionals, with the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS) managing a significant workforce of 27,500. In 2023, HUS provided specialist medical care and emergency services to more than 690,000 patients, underlining the critical need for efficient service delivery mechanisms.
The Digital Health Village, developed through the national Virtual Hospital 2.0 project coordinated by HUS, serves as a central piece in Finland’s strategy to modernise healthcare. This cloud-based service was designed from the start to consolidate expertise, offer updated information, and improve patient care both digitally and locally. It includes over 30 specific hubs catering to various patient groups, featuring dependable expert information on different health conditions. The platform’s My Path service offers digital care pathways on referral, open-access self-care programs, and remote consultation capabilities. HealthVillagePRO, another integral component, provides clinical guidelines and online courses for healthcare professionals to foster skill development and the adoption of innovative work practices.
Matti Bergendahl, CEO of HUS, highlighted the transformative effect of this digital overhaul, noting that rethinking patient needs and service delivery has been crucial. The establishment of the Digital Health Village as a cloud-based platform from its inception has been particularly advantageous, allowing for cost-effective, secure, and scalable development.
The impact of this digital transition is significant, saving healthcare professionals up to 26 minutes per day, thereby freeing up time to treat additional one to two patients daily. This efficiency gain, derived from expert interviews and external impact analysis, translates to annual savings of more than EUR 42 million for Southern Finland’s healthcare system. Moreover, the broader societal benefits, such as enhanced treatment quality, reduced wait times, and economic savings due to decreased patient travel and income loss, contribute to an estimated EUR 689 million in annual savings for the region.
The platform’s user satisfaction rates are also notable, with up to 69% of users reporting improved quality of life. The frequency of service usage correlates with greater perceived benefits, underscoring the value of regular interaction with the digital platform.
Looking forward, the integration of AI and large language models is set to further personalise and enhance the Digital Health Village. Current applications include AI-driven chatbot features, and future possibilities involve leveraging AI for multilingual translation capabilities. Sirpa Arvonen, Digital Manager at HUS, is enthusiastic about the potential to improve information flow by enabling both patients and professionals to access digital resources in their preferred languages, thereby making communication more effective and inclusive.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/digital-wireframe-handshake-glowing-technology-illustration-ai-generated-image.jpg)
Digital twin technology proves effective in diabetes care and in reducing cardiovascular disease risk
A groundbreaking study has revealed that employing a health application enhanced by artificial intelligence (AI) not only supports diabetes management but also considerably reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). These findings were presented at the annual American Association of Clinical Endocrinology meeting, which took place from the 9th to the 11th of May, 2024, in New Orleans.
The research was led by Paramesh Shamanna, M.D., from the Bangalore Diabetes Centre in India, along with his team. They set out to assess the impact of digital twin (DT) technology on diabetes control, specifically looking at improvements in haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels and ASCVD risk over ten years. The study included 289 participants; 208 of these were assigned to the DT intervention group while 81 received the standard care.
The DT intervention utilised a mobile app that integrates AI with Internet of Things technology. This app analyses multidimensional data to provide tailored nutritional and health recommendations. After one year, an impressive 72.5 percent of participants in the DT group achieved sustained remission of diabetes. There was a marked improvement in HbA1c levels within this group, showing a significant decrease from baseline by an average of 3 percentage points compared to just a 0.2 point reduction in the standard care group.
Furthermore, the study highlighted a significant shift in ASCVD risk profiles after 360 days of using the digital twin technology. Within the DT group, 76.6 percent of individuals were categorised as low-risk, up from 49.1 percent at the start of the study. This was in stark contrast to the marginal improvement seen in the standard care group, where low-risk categorisation slightly rose from 43.2 to 45.7 percent.
Notably, the reduction in high-risk ASCVD profiles was more pronounced in the DT group, while there was no significant change in the standard care group. The comparison of changes in ASCVD risk between the two groups revealed a significant positive correlation, indicating a more substantial decrease in the DT group (-4.3 versus -0.97).
The authors of the study concluded that digital twin technology significantly boosts the reduction of HbA1c and diminishes the risk of ASCVD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, offering a superior alternative to standard care. The results underscore the potential of precision diabetes management through advanced digital solutions.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/html-css-collage-concept-with-hacker.jpg)
The rising tide of cyberattacks on healthcare systems
The cybersecurity landscape within the healthcare sector is facing an unprecedented level of threat, with attacks growing both in frequency and severity. Notably, Rick Pollack, President and CEO of the American Hospital Association (AHA), described the Change Healthcare cyberattack as “the most significant and consequential incident of its kind against the US healthcare system in history.” This incident starkly illustrates the escalating challenges that cyber threats pose to healthcare operations and patient safety.
The February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, the largest US billing and payment system, severely disrupted the processing of millions of patients’ prescriptions and other services, delaying access to crucial medications and care. Even two months post-attack, an AHA survey indicated that numerous medical practices were on the brink of closure due to the financial impact of unpaid claims, thereby endangering patient access to medical services.
This is not an isolated event; the healthcare sector has witnessed several crippling cyberattacks over recent years. For instance, in May 2017, the global WannaCry ransomware attack disrupted a third of hospital trusts across NHS England, resulting in the cancellation of nearly 7,000 appointments and rendering medical staff unable to access vital patient data. Moreover, in May 2021, a ransomware attack on Ireland’s Department of Health and Health Service Executive affected over 80% of their IT infrastructure, compromised the personal data of almost 100,000 individuals, and led to widespread service cancellations.
The financial aftermath of these cyberattacks can be staggering. The Change Healthcare hack alone is estimated to potentially cost up to $1.6 billion. According to the European Repository of Cyber Incidents, there has been a significant global increase in cyberattacks on healthcare, with reported incidents rising from 32 in 2022 to 121 in 2023.
The increasing reliance on interconnected digital technologies such as electronic health records, medical devices, and AI-supported diagnostic tools, especially accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, has heightened vulnerabilities. Many healthcare providers continue to utilise outdated technologies, increasing susceptibility to attacks. The complex digital interconnectivity within the sector provides cybercriminals with numerous potential entry points to exploit, posing a formidable challenge to system security.
Despite the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, investment in this area remains insufficient. A recent survey by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society revealed that US healthcare organisations allocate only an average of 7% of their spending to cybersecurity, significantly lower than the 11-12% average across other sectors. This underinvestment is even more pronounced in low and middle-income countries, where the lack of infrastructure and regulatory frameworks exacerbates the risks.
The healthcare sector must prioritise the advancement of cybersecurity to align with or surpass the protections afforded in other critical infrastructure sectors. Enhanced research into the specific risks and vulnerabilities faced by healthcare systems is essential, along with strategic planning to mitigate these risks effectively. Furthermore, simple yet critical security practices, such as implementing two-factor authentication and educating about phishing scams, are vital steps in safeguarding against potential cyber threats. As the landscape of cybersecurity evolves, the focus must remain firm on protecting the integrity of healthcare systems and the safety of patients, affirming that cybersecurity is not merely an IT concern but a fundamental healthcare imperative.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/close-up-woman-measuring-blood-sugar-level-with-blood-glucose-metr-world-diabetes-day-concept.jpg)
How Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are changing the fight against obesity
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), initially developed for diabetes management, are gaining recognition for their role in aiding individuals with obesity, especially those at risk of developing diabetes. With these devices soon to be available over-the-counter in the United States, there is a new frontier in proactive health monitoring.
Lori Wenz, a nurse practitioner at Western Colorado Weight Care in Grand Junction, Colorado, discussed the expanding use of CGMs beyond their traditional scope during her presentation at the 2024 Obesity Medicine Association conference. She emphasised that CGMs not only enhance patient motivation by improving awareness of how diet and activity impact metabolic health but also play a crucial role in adherence to nutritional guidance and pharmacotherapy.
A significant proportion of the American adult population remains unaware of their pre-diabetic or diabetic status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 38% of adults have pre-diabetes, of which up to 80% are unaware. Additionally, around 23% of the 11.6% of Americans diagnosed with diabetes are also ignorant of their condition. Notably, up to 90% of those diagnosed with diabetes have either overweight or obesity, highlighting the intertwined nature of obesity and diabetes.
The off-label use of CGMs in obesity management is gaining acceptance as both clinicians and patients become increasingly proactive in monitoring potential diabetes risks and overall health. Wenz reported a significant increase in the off-label application of CGMs over the past three to five years, attributed largely to technological advancements that have reduced costs and enhanced device integration with mobile technology.
CGMs are particularly useful in diagnosing pre-diabetes and managing glucose levels to delay or even reverse the progression to diabetes. The devices provide real-time glucose readings, revealing the impact of lifestyle choices on glucose fluctuations, which can be a revelation for many users. This encourages more informed decisions about diet and exercise, leading to better health outcomes.
In a significant development, the FDA recently approved the Dexcom Stelo Glucose Biosensor System, the first over-the-counter CGM, for individuals over 18 who are not on insulin therapy. This device, which provides glucose measurements every 15 minutes and can be worn for up to 15 days, represents a major step forward in making glucose monitoring more accessible.
Despite the advantages, the use of CGMs in non-diabetic patients presents unique challenges. There are no established glucose norms for individuals without diabetes, and interpreting CGM data can be complicated. Moreover, alarms designed for diabetic users can be bothersome for those without the condition, potentially disrupting sleep and causing undue stress.
Alaina Vidmar, MD, at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, discussed the benefits of CGMs in paediatric obesity interventions. Real-time glucose data helps educate young patients about their body’s reactions to different foods and reinforces adherence to dietary restrictions, which is crucial for effective weight management and prevention of diabetes.
The advent of over-the-counter CGMs is poised to transform the landscape of obesity management and diabetes prevention. As the market expands and prices become more competitive, these devices offer a promising tool for individuals to take control of their health, potentially averting the progression to diabetes and improving overall metabolic health. The holistic integration of CGMs with innovative health strategies, pharmacotherapy, and even surgery holds the promise of enhancing life quality and longevity for individuals with obesity.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/full-frame-shot-man.jpg)
NICE approves digital health therapies for psychosis treatment in the NHS
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has officially approved three innovative digital therapies for incorporation into the treatment of psychosis within the NHS, pending further investigation into their benefits. This provisional approval, part of an early value assessment, encompasses AVATAR Therapy, SlowMo, and CareLoop, each targeting different aspects of psychosis management.
AVATAR Therapy utilises sophisticated software to create a digital representation or avatar of the distressing voices often heard by individuals suffering from psychosis. This digital approach involves patients in therapeutic dialogues spanning six to twelve sessions, wherein a mental health professional animates the avatar. This interaction is designed to facilitate a tripartite conversation, aiming to reduce the impact of auditory hallucinations.
SlowMo, on the other hand, emerges from a collaboration between the Psychosis Research Partnership at King’s College London and the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art. This therapy employs a web application linked to a smart device to help individuals recognise and moderate the rapid thought processes associated with psychosis, particularly paranoia. By slowing down these thoughts, the therapy aims to lessen the distress they cause.
The third therapy, CareLoop, is an application focused on preventing relapses. It enables patients to document their symptoms, thoughts, and feelings through a journaling feature and structured questionnaires. An underlying algorithm analyses these entries to detect early signs of potential relapse, allowing healthcare teams to intervene promptly.
These three digital health technologies are now available for use within NHS care teams on the condition that they actively collect and share data on their effectiveness over a three-year period, providing annual reports to NICE.
Furthermore, a separate assessment by NICE has recognised the potential of gameChangeVR, a virtual reality technology, for treating severe agoraphobic avoidance in individuals with psychosis, marking another step forward in digital health solutions for mental health.
NICE’s reports underline several advantages these digital therapies may offer, including improved accessibility to mental health services—which are currently under high demand and unevenly distributed across the NHS. These technologies not only provide an alternative treatment option for those unable to access traditional psychological interventions but also require no specialised training in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp), potentially broadening the pool of mental health professionals who can deliver these services. Additionally, when integrated with standard care, these digital solutions could decrease the frequency of therapy sessions needed.
Earlier in the year, NICE also supported the use of Brainomix’s stroke management software, further demonstrating its commitment to integrating digital health technologies into healthcare provision.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/serious-doctor-working-laptop-his-desk.jpg)
AI enhances physician-patient communication, study reveals
UC San Diego Health, as one of the initial health institutions in the United States to integrate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into the Epic Systems electronic health record system, is at the forefront of digital health innovation. This integration facilitates the drafting of replies to patient inquiries, marking a significant step forward in medical communication.
The findings from a recent study conducted by the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Network Open on April 15, 2024, reveal that while AI-generated drafts did not shorten the time physicians took to respond, they significantly reduced the mental effort required by doctors by providing an initial empathetic draft. This allows physicians to refine the message rather than composing one from scratch.
This pioneering study represents the first randomised prospective evaluation focused on AI-drafted messages within physician-patient communication, highlighting its potential to alleviate some of the cognitive demands on healthcare providers.
Christopher Longhurst, MD, the senior author of the study and a leading figure at UC San Diego Health, emphasised the utility of AI in addressing challenges within health systems, notably the surge in patient communications contributing to physician burnout. He pointed out that the lengthier AI-drafted messages suggest enhanced quality and that physicians have expressed appreciation for the assistance, which lessens their cognitive load.
The research underscores the role of GenAI in improving the quality, efficiency, and engagement of digital healthcare interactions. By reducing the workload on physicians, AI allows them to concentrate on the more intricate aspects of patient care, thereby aiming to mitigate burnout.
Ming Tai-Seale, PhD, MPH, the lead author and a professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine, described generative AI as a collaborative tool that assists physicians, who may receive around 200 messages per week, in overcoming writer’s block by providing a foundation for crafting empathetic responses to patients.
The enduring high demand for digital communication between patients and physicians, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, has led to the widespread use of patient portals like MyUCSDChart. These systems facilitate direct emails to doctors but also increase the pressure for timely responses, a demand that many physicians struggle to meet efficiently.
In response, UC San Diego Health initiated a pilot program with Epic Systems in April 2023 to employ GenAI for drafting responses to non-urgent patient queries. The AI-generated drafts include a disclaimer to inform patients of the AI’s involvement before the messages are reviewed and personalised by the responding physician.
Despite not reducing response times, the AI helps compose more detailed and compassionate replies, which are valued by patients. According to Marlene Millen, MD, another co-author and chief medical information officer for ambulatory care at UC San Diego Health, the AI’s ability to maintain consistent performance, regardless of the time of day, provides significant support in drafting empathetic messages that integrate relevant patient information.
While the study did not find time savings in message drafting, the qualitative benefits suggest a potential shift in healthcare communication practices. Further research is needed to evaluate patient perceptions of the enhanced empathy and detail in AI-assisted replies.
Since May 2023, UC San Diego Health and the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation have been rigorously testing GenAI models, exploring their safe and innovative applications in healthcare settings, thereby paving the way for future advancements in the field.
Read More![](https://www.contemporaryhealth.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/medicine-doctor-working-with-digital-medical-interface-icons-hospital-background-healthcare-medical-technology-network-concept.jpg)
Pioneering AI tool developed by NHS teams to transform patient care
A ground-breaking artificial intelligence (AI) tool, designed to forecast patient health trajectories, has been developed by a collaboration of healthcare researchers within the NHS. Dubbed “Foresight,” this innovative tool is poised to revolutionise clinical decision-making processes, enhance monitoring in healthcare environments, and bolster clinical trials.
The development team is composed of specialists from two NHS foundation trusts in London—King’s College Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’—as well as academic experts from King’s College and University College London. Utilising the Cogstack platform, which is renowned for its capability in information retrieval and extraction, Foresight leverages natural language processing to efficiently mine data from NHS electronic health records. This allows the tool to be trained on vast amounts of healthcare data, employing a deep learning methodology to identify intricate patterns within both structured and unstructured data sources.
A critical evaluation published in The Lancet Digital Health illustrates Foresight’s effectiveness: the tool successfully predicted the next ten possible health disorders in a patient’s timeline with impressive accuracy rates—68% at King’s College Hospital, 76% at Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and an outstanding 88% with the US-based MIMIC-III dataset.
The tool’s utility was further underscored through a practical test where five clinicians created 34 hypothetical patient timelines based on simulated scenarios. An impressive 93% of the predictions made by Foresight were deemed clinically relevant, affirming their practical applicability in real-world settings.
According to a report from the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, Foresight’s capabilities are not limited to forecasting; it can also emulate clinical trials, facilitate longitudinal research, generate synthetic datasets, and simulate interventions to study disease progression. Professor Richard Dobson, a leading figure in medical informatics at King’s College London and the senior author of the study, expressed enthusiasm about the multitude of applications for Foresight. He highlighted its potential in creating digital health twins and advancing medical education, among other uses.
Professor Dobson emphasised the importance of employing high-quality data to refine AI models and expressed a vision for expanded collaboration. His aim is to involve more hospitals in the development of “Foresight 2,” an iteration that promises even greater accuracy through enhanced language models.
This initiative has garnered substantial support, receiving funding from the NHS AI Lab, the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and Health Data Research UK (HDRUK). Professor Andrew Morris, director of HDRUK, noted that the success of such innovations hinges on the quality and representativeness of the data used. He advocated for continued investment in the UK’s data infrastructure to ensure these advancements can be realised in a manner that is both secure and respectful of patient privacy.
Read More