Featured article by Sally Writes, Independent Technology Author
Not all hospital admissions – especially emergency admissions – are necessary, with research by V Wadhwa and colleagues indicating that around 10% of patients admitted to general medicine are discharged within a day. Improving the definition of patients who truly need admission is a complex task that needs to be tackled through a multifaceted approach. It should include strategies such as better preventive care, the establishment of more higher acuity patient clinics, and better community care. It should also embrace some of the newer technologies that enable health professionals to make accurate decisions on which patients require constant monitoring and which can afford to be left alone for specific periods of time. Just a few technologies making the work of admissions staff easier include artificial intelligence, 3D visualization, and telemedicine.
AI In The A&E Industry
Hospitals need to strike the correct balance between caring for true emergency situations and making reasoned decisions about which patients to assign available rooms and bed space to. As medical injury specialists FVF Law report, malpractice can commence with simple errors by admissions staff. These errors can include communication problems and improper protocols that can have devastating consequences for a patient. AI can help staff reduce unnecessary admissions by over 50%, all while ensuring patients are treated with due care. Trials have already taken place with AI software that enables staff to predict which patients have a higher probability of experiencing ‘medical events’ that require attention. This technology can have a dramatic impact on accuracy rates, as it allows physicians to identify high risk patients and intervene early, thus improving their patients’ outcomes.
3D Visualization
Accurate admissions depend, to a great degree, on a physician’s ability to spot potential problems early. Unfortunately, many medical students are called upon to serve in admissions and emergencies early in their career, when they may not have amassed the experience required to make difficult decisions. New startup ThreeDee (which is centred on 3D visualization) has developed a training simulation for medical students, combining VR devices and real-time dynamic physiology. Students can rely on this software to acquire valuable knowledge and diagnose ‘virtual patients’ with a host of different conditions.
The Rise Of Telemedicine
Telemedicine has been no less than a lifesaver over the last year, with physicians now attending patients with conditions ranging from diabetes to cardiovascular problems. Equipping emergency treatment rooms with cameras, cutting-edge monitors and high-speed connection allows hospital staff to consult cases with specialists from across the globe. Some hospitals have sophisticated filing systems that connect smart televisions in examination rooms to archives that can be consulted immediately. In the future, it is expected that touch screen tablets will be used by physicians to access patient information before the patient enters the room.
Artificial intelligence, 3D visualization, and telemedicine are just three technologies that are enabling staff to work more efficiently in admissions and emergency services. They are a vital way to reduce unnecessary admissions and to make space for patients in need of available beds and rooms. Many new technologies are working at the training level, focusing on young doctors and helping them test their abilities in a number of virtual scenarios.
