Patients across the UK could soon be heading home faster, thanks to a revolutionary AI-assisted discharge tool designed to streamline hospital workflows and reduce waiting times.
Backed by the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars programme, this cutting-edge technology uses a large language model to help doctors draft discharge summaries more efficiently by extracting key information from medical records, including diagnoses and test results. After a final review by a medical professional, these summaries enable timely discharge and referral to follow-up care services.
The AI tool is currently being developed at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust, and is hosted on the NHS Federated Data Platform, ensuring secure and efficient handover of patient information across health and care services. This integration also paves the way for potential nationwide rollout, should trials prove successful.
Currently, many patients face unnecessary delays due to outdated systems that rely on time-pressed clinicians manually completing discharge paperwork. These delays not only prolong hospital stays but can also lead to errors in recording treatments and medication changes, putting patients at risk.
Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said:
“This potentially transformational discharge tool is a prime example of how we’re shifting from analogue to digital as part of our 10 Year Health Plan.
“We’re using cutting-edge technology to build an NHS fit for the future and tackle the hospital backlogs that have left too many people waiting too long.
“Doctors will spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients, getting people home to their families faster and freeing up beds for those who need them most.”
By automating the drafting process, the AI tool gives frontline staff the precious gift of time, allowing them to focus on urgent care while improving accuracy and efficiency. It’s a prime example of how AI in healthcare can enhance patient outcomes and support the NHS’s Plan for Change.
Over the coming months, the most promising projects from the AI Exemplars programme will be trialled and potentially scaled across the UK.
Image credit: iStock
