Technology
The value of data-driven insight and AI for surgery
Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram provides an insight into how data-driven insights in operating rooms can have the capacity to improve surgical productivity, reduce variability, enhance training opportunities, and facilitate easier and quicker global collaboration.
There is much good news about the future of healthcare provision that we should be optimistic and excited about. While the news agenda is often dominated by very real concerns about capacity shortages, unmet demands for skilled staff, growing waiting lists, and workforce unrest – there are various technological advances which could transform healthcare over the next decade, and which are huge opportunities for the sector that will help combat some of these challenges. Undeniably, the NHS and other global health
organisations face many issues. Populations continue to grow, age, and patients suffer a wider range of complex ailments and diseases. These unavoidable demographic changes – a symptom of the success of today’s modern healthcare – place huge burdens on the supply of healthcare staff, and consequently - training the next generation of professionals. However, there is no doubt the move from analogue to digital healthcare is a game- changer – particularly in professions such as my own, surgery. The benefits are wide-ranging. Previously unobtainable data analysis is driving improved surgical productivity; reduced variability, enhanced training opportunities; and easier, quicker global collaboration. Equally, technology’s potential to reduce the administrative burden on surgeons and other healthcare professionals is hugely exciting, as technology frees them up to do what they do best - care for patients. The move to digital healthcare provides a huge opportunity to improve quality and safety in healthcare generally, while extending the capacity and flow of procedures in hospitals and community care centres. By creating an interconnected healthcare system with the capability to share insightful and analysed data, healthcare planners and practitioners can improve productivity and patient outcomes. For example, a more impactful information exchange can bring benefits to protocols, patient pathways, product development, and complex surgical procedures.
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I July 2024
We should remember – despite being
arguably the most resource-intensive location in healthcare systems – operating rooms (ORs) are in many ways still the most analogue, relying on time-honoured techniques and old-fashioned ways of working. This will, and has to, change as digitalisation, specialist technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) provide the tools to create a modern OR and surgical process fit for the demands of the 21st century. We are already seeing considerable benefits, but the pace of change will accelerate, influenced by productivity gains via faster patient diagnoses/ treatments – that will ease pressures on healthcare systems caused by the pandemic. Patient backlogs are considerable, and
governments and healthcare leaders face inevitable pressure to ensure systems can cope. While deploying additional capital and investing more into healthcare systems is undeniably important, there must be a role for private- public sector partnerships. Technological innovations and valuable partnerships in collaboration with the public sector, and unleashing greater capacity, is for everyone’s benefit.
Digitalisation – the concepts and ideas underpinning the process in healthcare – has
been in gestation for the last decade. The development of sophisticated solutions for deployment at scale – while being globally compliant, certified and safe – has continued throughout. We are now seeing the results. New, seamless and easy-to-use technologies are becoming available, providing the capability to integrate many devices, analyse data, workflow and help manage people. These developments are coming from around the world; a coalition of the willing, to deliver improved healthcare.
Improved surgical productivity and reduced variation As healthcare technologies are rolled out, so the nature of surgeries and healthcare provision will change beyond recognition. Data previously unobtainable or uncaptured will be analysed and used to inform healthcare management about improved surgery scheduling, and achieving greater efficiencies in the OR. Surgeons will also be able to access best-practice insight, improving patient outcomes, and reducing variability. This is important, as the lack of good data has
historically hindered analysis of particular health interventions’ benefits, preventing knowing exactly how to become more efficient across
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