Key Summary
- AI notetakers reduce paperwork during consultations.
- Trials showed increased time for face-to-face care.
- Tools meet safety, clinical and data standards.
The NHS has urged doctors to utilise AI notetaking tools as it helps them spend more time for face-to-face care of the patients.
AI notetaking technology has been tested across some NHS sites and it helped clinicians spend nearly a quarter more time with patients.
NHS organisations across England are being told to take advantage of a new national registry of 19 suppliers.
Known as ambient voice technologies, it can save clinicians up to 2 or 3 minutes for each patient consultation, freeing up more time for them to see other patients.
They capture clinician-patient conversations and use AI to accurately generate real-time transcriptions and clinical summaries, while ensuring data protection.
NHS England on Friday (16) published a new self-certified registry for the technology, which requires suppliers to comply with standards on clinical safety, technology and data protection.
The NHS had published guidance last year stating that AI tools are safe, evidence-based and deliver benefits for patients.
However, since this is not a commercial framework, procurement will be carried out by individual NHS bodies in accordance with their own governance processes.
Last year, NHS England had sponsored a study across nine NHS sites in London covering over 17,000 patient encounters across a diverse range of sites including hospitals, GP practices, mental health services and ambulance teams.
Results showed a 23.5 percent increase in direct patient interaction time during appointments when AI-scribes were used, and A&E saw a 13.4 percent increase in patients seen per shift.
NHS England National Chief Clinical Information Officer Dr Alec Price-Forbes said, “AI notetaking tools will help free up more time for clinicians to focus on their patients, rather than typing up notes or looking at a screen - enhancing the quality of consultations and improving overall patient satisfaction.
“We are working with NHS organisations to help them implement the technology safely and effectively.”
Digital government minister Ian Murray said, “By cutting down on admin and paperwork, we’re giving clinicians back valuable time to do what they do best - caring for patients.
“We’re committed to making the UK an exemplar for how technology can be used to improve public services.”
