Monday’s cancellation of the first set of Junior Doctors strikes proves why the health service needs to use technology more, according to Cassini Health.
More Junior Doctors strikes were announced at the end of last week, only for one set to be cancelled on Monday. The General Medical Council (GMC) and other NHS bodies had asked for next weeks strike to be cancelled because the health service would be unable to make provisions to cover those on strike at such short notice. Cassini’s Phil D Hall said: “The fact that the Health Service relies on staff for almost every task shows that there is room for innovation in this industry. Some patients might just require answers to simple questions. Likewise, clinicians may just need to check in with patients as part of their on-going care plan. These are just some of the ways that tech can play a vital role.”
Phil D Hall is head of Cassini’s GHAIA project, which is creating pioneering healthcare tech, and introducing augmented artificial intelligence (AI) into the industry. A leading figure in AI, Mr Hall believes that GHAIA will help reduce the barriers between, and speed up access for, the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals. Phil said: “We have already been receiving great feedback for the project, and it has real potential to improve efficiency and patient care in the healthcare industry. Estimates currently show that reducing the length of stay in an NHS hospital for one condition in one Trust amounts to a saving of around £8million, so the need for this type of innovation is real.”
By removing the barriers between patients and healthcare professionals, GHAIA aims to use data gleaned from healthcare professionals and the wider community to deliver advice and monitor the health of its users, potentially freeing up healthcare staff for the more vital roles.
Hall added: “This technology can be used to create a memory bank of voice recordings and photos for Alzheimer’s or Dementia sufferers, as well as creating and monitoring diet plans for diabetics and alerting people of any sort as and when needed. It’s the missing technological glue in our current healthcare system. While budgets in healthcare are always being squeezed, this software will help the industry become more efficient, and that has got to be good for both patients and healthcare professionals, especially with the current situation relating to Junior Doctors.” The strikes are part of a campaign against new contracts being imposed on Junior Doctors by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
