Patients and clinicians across Wolverhampton and Walsall are set to benefit from the wider introduction of innovative Ambient Voice Technology, following a successful pilot that significantly reduced the time healthcare professionals spend on clinical documentation.
The technology, provided by Heidi Health, securely listens to patient consultations and automatically creates structured clinical notes. These notes are then reviewed, amended where required, and approved by clinicians before being uploaded to patient records.
The rollout marks another step forward in the digital transformation strategies of both The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, with leaders highlighting the potential for the technology to improve both patient experience and staff productivity.
The decision follows an eight-month pilot programme at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, where clinicians tested Heidi Health's AVT across multiple departments, including Emergency Medicine, Medical Same Day Emergency Care, Dermatology, ENT, Audiology, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Simon Evans, Group Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Strategy Officer, said:
“Both of our organisations are committed to adopting innovative digital solutions across all our care services to bring benefits to our patients’ experience.
“The implementation of Ambient Voice Technology will support our clinicians to deliver patient care by reducing the administrative burden, giving them back more time during a consultation to focus on each patient’s needs."
“Our partnership with Heidi Health highlights tangible examples of how the technology can improve the experience of care for clinicians and patients alike.”
Following the successful trial, Heidi Health was selected as the preferred supplier of Ambient Voice Technology for both NHS trusts.
Results from the pilot demonstrated a significant impact on efficiency, with clinicians reducing their documentation time to an average of less than four minutes per patient. The time savings are expected to allow healthcare professionals to spend more time focusing on direct patient care rather than administrative tasks.
The technology will initially be deployed within Emergency Departments and outpatient services across both organisations before being expanded across all clinical areas by 2028.
As NHS organisations continue to explore digital solutions that support frontline teams, the adoption of AVT offers a practical example of artificial intelligence being used to improve clinical workflows, reduce administrative pressures and enhance the quality of patient interactions.
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