The National Health Service represents the UK’s finest hour with regard to governance and infrastructure. Since its institution in July 1948, the NHS has helped countless citizens and remained free at the point of use all the while. It is frequently recognised as one of the best things about the nation, by those both within and without. But to say that the NHS is currently facing difficulty would be an understatement.
A combination of individual factors has led to a network on its knees, between underfunded hospitals and underpaid doctors, between overflowing wards and overstuffed administration. Increased pressure on doctors and nurses is leading to a higher potential for patients to experience medical negligence; failures in funding and leadership, then, have together heralded what could be the end of an incredible thing. But what if there was another way, besides continued petitions to the government?
Technology and Healthcare
Healthcare and medicine are decidedly human pursuits, but the onward march of technological development has enabled hitherto impossible feats of medical science. Indeed, technology and medicine are intertwined, and the continued development of new technological solutions could be the key the saving a British institution.
AI and Automation
Primary care facilities are the frontline of the NHS, and often the first point of contact that many patients have with a medical professional. The difficulty associated with making these appointments as a patient, and the increasing likelihood that sub-par treatment or advice will be given, demonstrates the level to which these facilities are overstretched.
This is where the development of AI systems could relieve an immense amount of pressure. By handing first contact off to trained AI assistants, patients can be fielded and filtered with ease, and worrisome symptoms flagged up for emergency appointments far easier. The applications are much wider ranging than this, including assisting in potential treatment pathways, but primary care would arguably be the most impactful placement for this technology.
Remote Healthcare
In a similar vein, ‘telehealth’ or remote healthcare appointments could have a significant impact on overcrowding in hospitals and, again, primary care facilities. Conducting appointments remotely not only allows patients more freedom but minimises appointment lengths and delays to boot.
Electronic Records
Electronic health records are already being utilised in the NHS, but continued development of cloud computing systems and machine learning algorithms makes for a much more streamlined and useful service. Many NHS facilities are still running on old operating systems and relying on printed data.
The rollout of a national database with seamless communication between systems would reduce the risk of human error in sharing patient data and improve outcomes for patients transitioning between departments. It could also reduce administrative bloat, freeing up resources for care elsewhere.
