AI Tech Lets Doctors Ditch Notes and Focus More on Patients

Scientists in England are working on a new technology that could help doctors save time and improve patient care. This technology uses artificial intelligence, or AI, to listen to conversations between doctors and patients during appointments. The AI then turns these conversations into written notes and letters, which doctors can review and approve. The project is being developed at the University of the West of England in Bristol. The main goal is to give doctors more time to talk with their patients face-to-face, instead of spending a lot of time typing up notes on a computer. Dr John McCormick, who is the chief clinical information officer for NHS England South West, says that this system allows doctors to make more eye contact with their patients. He believes that by letting the AI record the important parts of the conversation, doctors can pay better attention and connect more with the people they are helping. Dr McCormick, who is also a general practitioner in Devon, says that this technology could also help doctors finish their work earlier, so they do not have to stay late doing paperwork. He says that the amount of paperwork doctors have to do is very large, and this new tool really helps reduce that stress.

On average, a visit to the doctor lasts about ten minutes. Scientists testing this new AI voice technology found that it could save up to three minutes per appointment. This extra time means doctors can spend more time listening to their patients and understanding their problems. The technology is being tested with volunteer patients at a mock doctor’s office at the university. The scientists are also checking how well the AI can understand different accents, so it works for everyone. Doctors will still need to read the final notes made by the AI and fix any mistakes. Professor Richard Luxton, who is leading the project, says that while the AI sometimes has trouble with very strong accents, it can be trained to understand different voices better.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has already started using this technology. Since last September, they have used it in more than 2,700 appointments. They hope to use it in all their clinics by the end of the year and are also looking at whether it could help in emergency care. If the technology is used everywhere, it could help the trust offer about 15,000 more appointments each year. Patients like Vickie Underhill say that having their appointment recorded by AI made the experience feel more personal, because the doctor could focus on them instead of the computer. Another patient, Paul Mitchell, said that the doctor was able to give him eye contact the whole time, which made him feel comfortable, even when hearing difficult news. Doctors also like the technology. Consultant gynaecologist Ben Peyton-Jones said that it helped him record complex conversations accurately and saved him time, so he could focus more on his patients. The team at the university is working closely with doctors to improve the system and make sure the notes are detailed and useful. They are also working with other research groups to study how well the technology works. Professor Adrian Harris, chief medical officer for digital and research at NHS Royal Devon, says that the trust is leading the way in using this new technology to improve patient care.