The National Health Service (NHS) is implementing artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and assist patients at risk of becoming frequent users of emergency services.
This proactive approach is designed to offer more appropriate care early on and alleviate the strain on busy accident and emergency (A&E) departments.
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High Intensity Use (HIU) services are leveraging the latest data to identify the most regular attendees within their local areas.
The goal is to understand and address the underlying reasons for their repeated visits, which are often linked to poverty and social isolation.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “Initiatives like using AI to spot those who may need extra support in the community help provide more personalised care and must be central to our ten year health plan.”
The NHS has already introduced HIU services to support over 125 emergency departments across England, providing one-to-one coaching and in-home support.
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By GlobalDataAt South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a dedicated keyworker was appointed to provide practical, social, and emotional assistance to 20 HIU individuals.
In North East London, AI technology is being harnessed to foresee patients who are at risk of frequent A&E attendance.
The AI software, which analyses routinely collected hospital data, identifies those who need immediate preventative support to prevent unplanned future hospital visits.
The NHS teams in Wolverhampton have developed an HIU service that identifies individuals in crisis, focusing on improving the health outcomes of those facing the greatest deprivation and health inequalities.
This service, which combines community outreach with a clinical lead, has led to an improvement in the wellbeing of frequent attenders and has reduced hospital visits by nearly three-fifths.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust also implemented an HIU service.
Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “We inherited a broken NHS that is dealing with record admissions heading into winter, which is why we’re investing £26bn in the health service and have set out our Plan for Change to get the NHS back on its feet.”
