Robots to diagnose patients rather than doctors with new app

Patients will soon be able to receive a full diagnosis from a new app under development for smartphones.

A pilot scheme has begun which encourages people to use 'chatbots' which will assess calls made to the NHS 111 non-emergency helpline.

Babylon Health says the technology will be able to diagnose patients 'more accurately and faster' than most doctors.

Patients type in their symptoms and the artificial intelligence assesses the urgency of each case and decides whether they should go to A&E, a pharmacy or just stay at home to recover.

However, health watchdogs issued a public warning recently about the dangers of online prescribing.

Hannah Bottomley, medical negligence solicitor at PotterReesDolan, said:

The suggestion from its creator that it offers a more reliable diagnostic service that doctors or nurses is a claim like that is surely something to be excited about. However, as the article in the Telegraph has pointed out, there are still concerns. It seems to me that the success of such a scheme relies on the patient having an understanding of what symptoms are important in the context of their medical history, not something everyone is likely to have.

There have previously been well-publicised problems with the NHS 111 helpline with staff relying heavily on a pre-prepared script which does not allow for deviation and has resulted in critical factors being missed and patients suffered serious harm. I am concerned that an automated system could also face similar problems due to the lack of access to personal data and a reliance on the patients to have that understanding. I am also very concerned about how vulnerable people would access such a service.

The aim is for the doctors to work together with the technology meaning the medical experts can focus on treating the illness rather than diagnosing it.

Dr Ali Parsa, founder of the company, explained how 300 million pieces of knowledge have been collected which is more than any human brain can do.

Although the model remains in development, a pilot scheme is currently in place in five boroughs of London where patients are encouraged to consult the chatbot rather than a human.

Hannah added:

The creator of Chatbot has suggested that everyone has a mobile phone. However, in my experience, it is most unusual for the most vulnerable in our society, those clients we deal with here at PotterReesDolan, those with brain injuries to own and use mobile phones. This seems to me that there could end up being a two tier system, one for those with ability to access and use the technology and one for those who cannot. Such a system causes me great concern that those who most need help and support may not be able to get it. I await with interest the results of the London trial.

Since 2015, Babylon Health has offered NHS patients in Essex private consultations by webcam rather than with a GP.

The app makes a risk assessment of the urgency and is available for free or consumers can subscribe to the unlimited service for £5 a month.

Babylon found a drop in waiting times in two Essex practices from three weeks to one week after the app was launched in 2015.

Hannah Bottomley is a clinical negligence solicitor with PotterReesDolan. Should you have any queries about clinical negligence issues or indeed any other aspect of this article and wish to speak to Hannah or any other member of the team please contact us on 0161 237 5888 or email Hannah.