Intelligent Health.tech Issue 15 | Page 31

WE LIVE IN EXCITING TIMES , ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD OF DIAGNOSTICS , AND ORGANISATIONS LIKE BT ARE PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BRINGING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO LIFE IN NHS TRUSTS .
D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S experience and reduced administrative burden for our clinicians .”
BT is already collaborating with organisations such as deepc and AXON Diagnostics on new digital services and is also working closely with the NHS through its Vanguard programme and Clinical Advisory Board , to support greater use of responsible AI and digital diagnostic technology across the health service .
Another new innovation is BT ’ s Patient Concierge tool , in collaboration with messaging specialists , Soprano , which promises to streamline patient communication , reduce time spent by NHS staff arranging appointments for diagnosis and treatment , and cut missed or doublebooked appointments through the smart use of AI . BT says the tool being developed , and already being showcased to customers , will offer bespoke patient messaging solutions for the NHS and other healthcare organisations .
BT ’ s research found that more than half ( 53 %) of NHS staff think AI will have a significant impact on clinical service delivery , most immediately through automated appointment booking and improving the accuracy of diagnosis . Most NHS staff now agree that AI has the potential to cut wait times ( 63 %), improve patient outcomes ( 65 %) and cut the cost of patient care ( 56 %).
Barriers to success
Three quarters ( 76 %) of NHS workers believe that HealthTech has already improved the standard of healthcare across the UK . So far this has been driven by increased collaboration with colleagues ( 70 %), and improved training ( 56 %), knowledge sharing ( 52 %) and record keeping ( 48 %). However , there is broad consensus that the NHS remains a long way behind other sectors .
Two thirds ( 72 %) of the people using digital tech in the NHS every day think it is being held back by a lack of integration with other legacy technologies , while half ( 59 %) complain about too many pilots that fail to roll out across the NHS . Others ( 48 %) report that seemingly small gripes , such as needing to re-enter passwords at every turn , are causing frustration and ultimately slowing them down .
WE LIVE IN EXCITING TIMES , ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD OF DIAGNOSTICS , AND ORGANISATIONS LIKE BT ARE PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BRINGING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO LIFE IN NHS TRUSTS .
Training is pivotal
Two thirds ( 67 %) of those working for the NHS say that digital training must be a key focus of investment in the future of the NHS , with 38 % saying confidence using emerging technology is key to its success .
The same applies to patients ; almost three in five ( 57 %) NHS staff acknowledge that the need to cater to all patients in the country , regardless of tech literacy , could be holding innovation back .
Dr Paul Bhogal , Consultant Interventional Neuroradiologist and member of BT ’ s Clinical Advisory Board , said : “ The challenges facing the NHS are considerable , in some cases chronic and nobody is under the illusion that the solutions will be simple , but clearly technological innovation is a big part of how we are going to succeed .
“ We live in exciting times , especially in the world of diagnostics , and organisations like BT are playing an important role in bringing innovative technology to life in NHS trusts . If we want to improve access to healthcare in the UK , while improving patient outcomes , we must find technology that works , and put it in the hands of those that can put it to work .”
The insight into the opinion of NHS staff on technology use follows BT ’ s research earlier this summer , which polled the general public on what they want to see when it comes to digital technology in healthcare .
That research found a similar trend , with patients wanting to see technology play a bigger role in the NHS , and two thirds ( 64 %) believing it to be a worthwhile investment . �
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