The NHS is using AI to predict patients who are at risk of
becoming frequent users of emergency services so staff can get
them more appropriate care at an earlier stage.
The intervention will ensure that thousands of people get the
support they need earlier, while also reducing demand on
pressured A&Es.
Over 360,000 patients attend A&E more than five times every
year, but now, using data-powered initiatives to identify them,
NHS teams are proactively reaching out with support before they
walk through the front door of an emergency room.
High Intensity Use (HIU) services use the latest data to find the
most regular attendees in their area to identify and resolve the
reasons patients are coming forward for care so regularly - often
associated with poverty and social isolation.
The NHS has rolled out HIU services to support more than 125
emergency departments across England so far, providing patients
with one-to-one coaching support in their own homes to tackle the
root cause of why they are visiting A&E.
Initiatives like this have already helped reduce the number of
frequent attendances by more than half in some parts of the
country. South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recruited a
dedicated keyworker to offer social, practical and emotional
support to 20 HIU individuals and helped them more than halve
their visits to A&E - down from 33 times per
year.
In North East London, teams are harnessing the power of AI
technology to predict those patients who are at risk of
frequently attending A&E.
The AI-powered prediction software uses routinely collected
hospital data to identify patients who require immediate
preventative support to avoid future, unplanned visits to the
hospital.
This includes supporting patients with long-term conditions, like
asthma or diabetes, and having a healthcare professional reach
out to them to offer them personalised, preventative support and
self-management techniques.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS Chief Executive
said: “The NHS is going into winter busier than
ever before and as ever, despite huge pressure and a potential
‘quad-demic', our incredible staff are doing everything within
their power to provide the best possible care to patients.
“We know that a small proportion of the population are much more
likely to use A&E or ambulance services, so it is important
we give them the targeted support they need this winter before
they get to the front door of an emergency service - this is much
better for them but will also help to relieve pressure on the
NHS.
“Initiatives like using AI to spot those who may need extra
support in the community help provide more personalised care and
must be central to our 10 Year Health Plan.”
New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton created a High Intensity Use
service to recognise people in crisis and improve the health
outcomes of those who face the highest deprivation and health
inequalities in their area.
The service, combining community outreach with a dedicated
clinical lead, led to a significant improvement in the wellbeing
of frequent attenders and a reduction in hospital attendance by
almost three fifths (58%).
Ryan*, 23, was contacted by the team after multiple hospital
visits with chest pain and experience of suicidal thoughts after
losing his job. Staff supported Ryan all the way back into
employment and he has had no further A&E attendances since.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust also established a
HIU service who worked closely with over 400 of the most frequent
attenders to A&E, including one service user, Chris*, who
suffered from a serious condition and was regularly visiting
A&E, sometimes as often as twice a week.
The HIU service contacted Chris and worked with him on a
one-to-one basis to ensure he was accessing the correct support,
helping him to deal with his housing issues and to start looking
for work again.
Since he started working with the HIU service, Chris has not
visited the emergency department or dialed 999 again,
contributing to the Trust's 58% reduction of A&E attendances
from frequent attenders, and a reduction in hospital
admissions of 62%.
Chris said: “It was good to have someone who was on my level and
not against me - I feel I have come a long way.”
*Some names have been changed for confidentiality.
