NHS at the crossroads
At a time when the incoming Trump administration is already laying the groundwork for a full repeal of Obama's signature medical insurance policy, it is natural that attention should turn to our own health system. Like Obamacare, the NHS is loved in some quarters but maligned in others. Whatever your judgement of the NHS, the facts are stark: it faces an ever-increasing burden caused by greater demands on staff and these demands are partly the result of an increasingly unhealthy population - a quarter of British adults are clinically obese, making Britain the 'fat man of Europe'. At the same time, these demands are exacerbated by the effects of winter. Winter sees the pressure on the NHS rise: around 40% more deaths are recorded in these months alone and the number is increasing. The consequence is that NHS staff are strained and over the last decade, winter mortality has increased by 75%. According to recent figures, 84% of GPs view their workload as excessive such that it affects their ability to provide a consistently high standard of care. The NHS is therefore at something of a crossroads. If it is to survive it must streamline its process and embrace technology.
The future of healthcare?
The NHS has begun to display a willingness to exploit technology, specifically in easing diagnosis and hastening the process through which medical professionals access patient records. Last year, the Royal Free London NHS Trust signed a deal with DeepMind, Google's artificial intelligence (AI) subsidiary. This deal, to last five years, will cover the development of a so-called 'mobile clinical app' called Streams which will assist doctors in monitoring kidneys and interpreting test results. The app will alert doctors automatically if a patient's condition is likely to deteriorate, thereby streamlining the diagnostic process. Estimates are that the app will save some half a million hours a year and as a result lend relief to an overworked and underfunded NHS, as well as eradicating the potential for human error. It is hoped that similar technological initiatives will guarantee the NHS's continued relevance in an increasingly digital age.
DeepMind's Streams patient care service is just their first partnership with NHS Trusts. In July, DeepMind signed an agreement with Moorfields Eye Hospital in east London to develop an AI which could assess eye scans and 'recognise' the early stages of degenerative eye conditions. The system would also collate thousands of detailed eye scans and thus ease access to patient records. According to Prof. Peng Tee Khaw, the head of Moorfields' ophthalmology research centre, the AI has placed at his fingertips "the experience of 10,000 lifetimes." Although the initial cost of the scheme is high, the benefits are far-reaching. Speedy diagnosis can often slow the progress of degenerative conditions or even prevent them altogether: for instance, around 98% of cases of serious visual loss can be halted if the condition is spotted early enough. In these cases, prevention really is better than cure, and technology has a vital role to play in making this a reality.
The rise of the medical app
DeepMind is not the only company to benefit from the NHS's willingness to embrace technology. Babylon Health is set to trial its 'chatbot' app at the end of January. This app is intended for use by the public as a self-diagnosis tool. It is hoped that the app will ease the strain on the NHS's 111 non-emergency hotline by acting as a first port of call in understanding a potential medical condition. The app's AI is designed to process users' responses to targeted medical questions and then, using its access to a vast array of trusted information, suggest a response. Although there may be a degree of scepticism regarding the accuracy of an electronic programme, it is in fact little different to the existing 111 service whose handlers are not medical professionals and who usually suggest scripted solutions. The app is designed to rapidly assess non-critical conditions and "process billions of symptom combinations" instantaneously.
Babylon's app does not only facilitate diagnosis. One of its chief aims is to improve accessibility to medical services generally. It allows users to book an audio or visual (via video call) appointment in seconds; arrange to have their prescriptions sent to their home or office; and assist GPs in collating users' medical history and current conditions by providing an analysis of calorie consumption, sleep quality, weight, blood pressure and pulse rate. In other words, it is a suite which allows the user more autonomy in matters of personal health.
The NHS's desire to embrace technology is heartening, as is its desire to give individuals a greater say in managing personal health. The NHS is facing many challenges: the UK's population is getting older and unhealthier, internal inefficiencies, and doctors are some of the most overworked and stressed out in Europe. But the UK is also becoming more digitally aware. In sponsoring the use of pioneering technologies, the NHS is itself innovating by utilising our increasingly digital world to improve national health.