In collaboration with its AI partner, Netcall, the Trust is now deploying the provider’s cloud-based contact centre solution, Converse CX.

The solution claims to connect data, systems, teams and communication channels, reducing call times and volumes, and increasing patient throughput.

Starting this Spring, when a patient contacts the Patient Service Centre, the agent will have access to an AI-driven knowledge base and an automated identification process that activates at the start of each interaction—before the call begins.

Currently, call handlers only see the patient’s phone number when they answer but, when the new solution kicks in, agents will have access to a patient’s history, allowing for context and thus offering patients a more personalised, efficient experience.

According to Netcall, the system is designed to reduce call length by an average of 57 seconds and will help minimise call wait times, with the Trust receiving approximately 960,000 calls annually.

For patients who do not wish to contact the Trust via phone or email, AI-powered webchat with translation capabilities will also be available, allowing patients to receive instant responses to basic questions in their chosen language.

The online chatbot will be trained with information provided by the Trust, such as content from the website.

John Clarke, head of healthcare solutions at Netcall added: “In today’s demanding healthcare landscape, patient service centre agents need to have the right information, at the right time in one unified view, rather than having to check different systems.

“The single holistic picture of relevant information, provided via the new AI-driven case management system provides greater pertinent transparency to service centre staff and patients alike.

“This enables staff to provide a more caring, personalised service and allows the organisation to be more proactive in managing a patient’s journey.”

The post NHS Trust upgrades CX with AI and chatbots appeared first on TechInformed.

Healthcare LLM training and specialised AI tools

Oskar Wenbar, COO and co-founder, Evaro

“2025 will mark the end of ‘AI theatre’ in healthcare. After the initial rush to implement any form of AI, we’ll see a decisive shift toward measurable, clinically validated AI applications. The standout innovation will be ‘predictive healthcare triage’ – AI systems that combine patient data, medical histories, and real-time health metrics to predict and prevent health issues before they become critical.

“Two major trends will emerge: the rise of ‘healthcare data cooperatives’ pooling anonymised patient data to train AI, particularly impacting preventative care. The NHS’s dataset will become one of Britain’s most valuable assets.

“Generic chatbots will be replaced by specialised AI tools focusing on specific medical domains, augmenting clinicians’ capabilities—for example, AI specialising in chronic condition management or medication response patterns.

“Data sovereignty will shape this evolution. Countries with robust healthcare datasets like the UK will gain advantages, sparking new collaborations and data-sharing agreements, especially post-Brexit.”

More efficient clinical trials are on their way

Melvin Lai, senior associate, Silicon Foundry

“Technologies using AI, data analytics, and digital platforms will continue to emerge to streamline clinical trials by improving processes, data quality, and patient engagement.

The life sciences sector has been among the lagging industries in the post-Covid era but is expected to outperform in the coming year as capital market conditions continue to improve and a window for IPOs and M&A exits spurs further positive momentum.”

Drug discovery over drug repurposing

Marina Hickson, managing director, Vivanti

“Start-ups like BenevolentAI and Recursion are making a compelling case for the transformative power of AI in drug discovery, and big pharmaceutical companies are starting to take notice. Over the past five years, nearly all major pharma players have dipped their toes into AI, primarily focusing on drug repurposing. However, there’s a noticeable shift from repurposing to developing new drugs, a trend expected to continue into 2025”

Quantum computing and AI will help accelerate innovation

Monika Rai, partner, EIP

“Quantum Computing to enhance AI in healthcare will likely be a standout technology in 2025, accelerating big dataset evaluation for more precise and efficient solutions.

“For healthcare businesses, this offers opportunities to improve clinical trials, speed up medicine development, and drive innovation. However, it also brings challenges, including access to reliable medical data, smaller markets for personalised treatments, and the need for collaboration within a competitive industry and across governments—all amid geopolitical turmoil.

“Meanwhile, traditional healthcare solutions remain unavailable to much of the global population.”

Financial constraints will see rise in tech adoption

David Joerring, CEO and co-founder, HealthKey

“2025 will see global health systems under intensifying pressure, driving rapid innovation in healthtech. Unsustainable financial models will accelerate the adoption of AI triage systems, virtual-first healthcare, and scalable preventative care. Comprehensive virtual healthcare packages, including GP services and chronic disease management, could become available for as little as £50 per person annually.”

Roger Mazella, senior medical product lead, Qt Group

“The MedTech industry is on the verge of a big boom. Recent downturn in the market, might suggest that the industry is headed for a steep decline but a more accurate way to view this is as a necessary course correction of the pandemic-driven industry bloating that led businesses to overexpansion and missteps in strategy.

“The conditions are ripe for a boom. We’ve got the biggest part of the population – the baby boomer generation – approaching their 60s and 70s. Healthcare is increasingly moving out of the hospital, with more care delivered at home. New technology initiatives are advancing to improve the delivery of healthcare for more people, in more locations, in a manner that is more efficient.”

Femtech advances will make workplaces more inclusive

Caroline MacDonald, Founder & CEO, Oggadoon 

“Healthtech, or specifically, Femtech continues to captivate startups and investors alike, showing remarkable growth potential. People are becoming more proactive about monitoring their health. However, a significant challenge remains: most research still overlooks the complexities of the female body.

“In 2025, there will be increased resources for managing menopause and perimenopause symptoms, offering holistic approaches to improve quality of life. In the workplace, we are witnessing a growing trend towards support systems for navigating menopause, with technology set to play an increasingly important role in this transformation. Also, demand to monitor general menstrual cycles, and the rise of Gen-Z, who need to understand their hormones more than ever. “

Valentina Milanova, founder, Daye

“AI and ML will revolutionise gynae healthcare, enabling more accurate diagnostics, especially for underfunded, under-addressed conditions, and personalised treatment plans. We’ll see AI-powered analysis of mammograms and other imaging becoming standard, significantly improving early detection of breast and ovarian cancers.

“Advanced wearables and femtech devices will expand beyond cycle tracking to provide comprehensive health monitoring. These will offer real-time data on hormonal changes, bone density, and cardiovascular health, enabling proactive interventions for conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease, which disproportionately affect women and AFAB individuals.

“Telemedicine platforms specialising in women’s health will expand, offering services like virtual maternity care, menopause counselling, and mental health support. This will create new business models and improve access to specialised care for women in underserved areas.

“Increased focus on data privacy and security in women’s health apps and devices will likely lead to stricter regulations, potentially reshaping the femtech landscape.”

How will geopolitical events influence healthtech?

Mayra Hurtado, CEO and co-founder, Hormony 

“There are a variety of factors at play for femtech, as women’s health is a highly politicised issue. The news of the US President Elect Trump’s victory, for example, may cause a rise in women’s telehealth services to ensure access to care, particularly in states where women are losing rights when it comes to their healthcare and autonomy over their bodies.

“The same could be said for regions undergoing conflict; where healthcare is scarce there is an increased need for women’s healthcare and paediatrics. At the same time, in the UK for example, where the incumbent government has pledged increased support for startups as well as the launch of the Invest in Women Taskforce, we could see renewed interest in investment in women’s health startups and femtech, which would give the industry increased support and facilitate the development of innovation.”

At-home devices will help advance personalised healthcare

Dr Rui Lopes, medical advisor, OMED Health 

“With the rise of at-home kits and devices to monitor all aspects of our health, 2025 will cement bespoke treatment pathways for consumers and patients. Whether it’s due to long wait times for healthcare treatment, or sheer curiosity, more consumers are turning to health and wellness devices that can be used autonomously, or with private clinician support, to track their health and help diagnose and treat various conditions.

“We’ll keep seeing bespoke pathways spring up for an increasing number of conditions, as brands unlock the technology to make this possible.”

Gareth Jones, business development director, HGS

“The future will see the delivery of care and the interface with patients increasingly devolved away from hospitals and surgeries. The need to reduce incremental costs and hospital admissions, as demand from an ageing population increases, will result in an increase in telehealth, adoption of digital devices at point of care, and the use of wearables.

These changes will see AI and machine learning playing increasingly critical roles, analysing vast amounts of patient data to enable more precise diagnoses, predictive analytics, and personalised treatment plans.”

Read more here: The startups tackling the gender data gap to improve female health

The post 2025 Informed: Healthtech predictions appeared first on TechInformed.

TI talks to Relic about his firm’s ongoing digital transformation, from AI applications to 3D scanning.

Plus, Relic delves into his own journey in tech – where he cut his teeth at Siemens after pivoting from semiconductors and industrial automation.

Where did your interest in healthcare and tech begin? 

I started in engineering and technology, and never really moved away. I enjoy innovation, developing new technology, and then translating that into products and solutions. I have changed industries though – from semiconductors to commercial business services, industrial automation, and healthcare. Healthcare is, by far, my favourite sector.

How has the technology behind Invisalign evolved since you began?

It’s evolved significantly, thanks to ongoing innovation. Initially introduced as an alternative to traditional wire and bracket braces, the Invisalign treatment consists of clear aligners made from a proprietary material called SmartTrack, developed after several years of research.

Over time, Invisalign has introduced other cutting-edge technologies, such as SmartForce attachments, which apply precise forces to achieve predictable tooth movements, and SmartStage technology, which sequences tooth movement for optimal results.

Our most recent addition allows for certain tooth movement without traditional attachments, offering greater comfort, efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

 This continual evolution of technology has allowed Invisalign to offer patients more effective, discreet, and comfortable orthodontic treatment options.

How has AI impacted on dentistry?

AI has certainly transformed patient care and customer experience in the dental industry. We’ve been integrating digital solutions into our operations over the last 27 years and we aim to be at the forefront in applying AI and new technologies to revolutionise dentistry.

For instance, by leveraging large amounts of patient data sets – from over 18 million Invisalign cases – we can customise and fine-tune the AI models we use. As a result, this extensive dataset allows for more accurate and efficient clinical diagnosis, treatment planning and visualisation.

How do you stay competitive in the field you are in?

I aim to foster a culture of experimentation and openness to new approaches. Many of our technologies take years to develop, but we are committed to exploring new possibilities and continuously testing new ideas.

Even when certain innovations don’t succeed, they offer valuable insights and learning opportunities that drive future progress. This forward-thinking mindset allows us to innovate at a pace comparable to businesses outside of healthcare, ensuring that we remain competitive and contribute to advances in dentistry through cutting-edge technology.

What other technologies in dentistry excite you?

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing excites me. It is transforming industries and creating new opportunities for innovation. At Align, we have utilised 3D printing from the very beginning – in fact, we have the world’s largest 3D printing operations, used to create approximately one million customised Invisalign aligners per day.

In the last decade, substantial investments have driven the evolution of 3D printing across different sectors.

In the dental industry, more companies are leveraging 3D printing, along with new materials, machines, and processes specifically designed for dental applications, and this is expected to continue accelerating in the coming years.

What’s the future for technology and teeth – is there much to smile about?

We anticipate the development of ‘smart’ aligners with built-in sensors to monitor oral health, as well as overall health, as many health indicators can be tracked through the mouth.

We strongly emphasise that AI could never replace the expert role of dental professionals, but tele-dentistry allows for a combination of in-person visits as well as at-home care – reducing the need for frequent trips to the dentist’s office.

 As technology advances and new tools are developed, doctors will be able to oversee treatments more closely, monitor patient responses to treatments remotely, and be alerted if any issues arise.

How do you take your coffee?

I like espresso, but with milk. Cappuccino is my favourite, which I enjoy with my breakfast. After lunch I will have a caffe macchiato.

I have an espresso machine at home, traditional type with a portafilter, so grinding fresh Arabica beans and making coffee is a fun part of my morning routine, when I don’t travel.

The post A coffee with… Zelko Relic, executive vice president & CTO, Align Technology appeared first on TechInformed.

Now, he is the founder and CEO of homecare software company CareLineLive, a business with 42 staff, over 600 homecare clients in seven countries, and over £3.5m in revenues.

He set up CareLineLive in 2014 after his family struggled to get information about his grandfather’s care. The mission is to create a ‘circle of care’ so that every one a patient needs is brought into the loop.

What drove you to become an entrepreneur?

I hated being disabled and was determined to get out of my wheelchair. I would hear the doctors telling my parents that I might not be able to have a job, which I think made me very determined and single-minded. From an early age, I learned I could prove people wrong.

I did well at school but was always entrepreneurial, setting up a publishing company with my sister when I was 14. We made a magazine, by kids, for kids, which we sold to schools. I was always more interested in business than studying, and had a desire to change things.

What inspired you to come up with CareLineLive?

I was running an IT service business and had a client in the home care space who was still using a paper-based system. It became CareLineLive’s first client, and the idea of creating a ‘circle of care’ emerged.

At the same time, my grandfather was receiving care, and the family struggled with the lack of communication from carers. Everything I felt and saw as a child came flooding back.

Back then, I found that the inefficiencies of the healthcare system often exasperated me. I was visited by countless nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals. Every time I met someone new, I had to go through the same routine, answering the same questions and explaining my condition.

It was very repetitive and boring. I just felt there needed to be a better system and, ultimately, that I had to be the one to create it.

What was the big idea?

To create an app that joins up everything in a home care business, from patient notes and visits to invoicing and staff rotas. Family members can access it so they know what’s going on. But also critical healthcare professionals like ambulance drivers can access it, too.

That’s important because if they are attending an emergency, they really need to know whether or not someone has had their medication that day.

Why is it a success?

Everyone a patient needs is brought into the loop. People no longer need to spend long periods of time hunting down paperwork. All the information is in one place. It’s very efficient, and it provides a clear audit trail.

Scotland unveils first data strategy for health and social care

Did your condition affect how you did things?

I think I saw the world differently to a lot of people. I was often looking for new and different ways of doing things. You have to when you literally can’t do things in the same ways everyone else does.

On a day-to-day basis, I’ve been through a lot of surgeries and challenges, so I understand the importance of flexibility. If a member of staff or their child needs to go to the doctor, I tell them to ‘just go’.

People might think I’m too lenient, but we have a team that sticks with us.

What are the big challenges you face?

Funding is an ongoing challenge. I spend a lot of time fundraising, and there’s a constant battle to find good coders and software engineers.

I’ve also had to prove myself repeatedly to investors, customers and employees. It’s a vicious cycle of needing experience but not being able to get it.

But that’s been my driving force: proving people wrong and showing that something is achievable. Building CareLineLive is something I’m incredibly proud of.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

London Stock Exchange technology director Nigel Cairns once told me that when it comes to fundraising (a very important part of my job), you should think about how much money you need, double it and then double it again. And you’ll still end up spending it all.

What’s your idea of the perfect cup of coffee?

I don’t really drink coffee; I’m more of a Coke person, but after a big night, I’d go for an espresso with two sugars.

What advice would you give to any budding tech entrepreneur?

Don’t do it! Being an entrepreneur is one of the hardest career choices you can make. I say that because nobody ever tells you how you will get basic things done. Learning the ropes is difficult.

More positively, as much as it’s about having an idea, entrepreneurship is about having the ability to self-learn and teach yourself new things.

How do you relax when you are not working?

I find it very difficult to relax as there’s always something to think about, but I find shooting clay pigeons is a really good way of distracting myself. It’s something I can take all my frustration and problems out on.

What’s next for CareLineLive?

Expansion into Australia. We were at the country’s biggest trade show recently, and it’s the next big move for us because it’s such a similar market to ours.

But also, it’s far more educated, by which I mean the businesses are significantly more mature and know what they are doing. As a result, you get a much better buy-in.

The post A Coffee with… Josh Hough, CEO, CareLineLive appeared first on TechInformed.

And medical research is no exception. If you were having a heart attack and went to the doctor, you would expect your symptoms to be swiftly recognised, and the cause of them to be treated effectively.

However, if you’re female (in either sex or gender), you are 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed, and therefore more likely to suffer serious outcomes from a heart attack – just because you are female.

And there’s even less data and research when it comes to female-specific conditions, even relatively common ones such as the menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.

While the medical establishment rushes to catch up to address this gaping gender gap, there are clusters of fledgling healthtech firms that are innovating with unique solutions. TI speaks to three firms tackling data gaps to bring AI-driven healthcare to the forefront.

Theblood

Healthtech entrepreneur Isabelle Guenou is among one of 190 million women who suffer from endometriosis, a painful and debilitating uterine condition.

After reading research papers about menstrual blood and how it might indicate health conditions, the former professional swimmer wondered why such testing wasn’t widespread.

To address this, Guenou co-founded Theblood alongside Miriam Santer, which claims to offer a solution to diagnosing endometriosis as well as several other conditions that women can suffer from over their lifetime, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and early menopause.

Due to a lack of research into female specific health conditions, these types of conditions are  often misdiagnosed: For instance, nearly one in three women aged in the US 45-54 (typical age for menopause transition) have been misdiagnosed with another healthcare condition by a provider before finding out it was actually menopause.

“At the moment we are developing our own at-home test so people can collect menstrual blood at home, send it to a lab, and receive results and speak to specialists,”  says Guenou.

Currently at seed stage, the firm raised $1 million in 2022 and is in the process of raising additional funding.

On the market now, the start-up offers a prototype called ‘Cycle Check’, a small test kit for women on their period to collect their blood to analyse it, and for users to understand their cycle and optimise their diet, exercise and sleep, to ease monthly symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, and pain.

“We analyse various factors like viscosity, colour, clots, volume, and symptoms they report,” explains Guenou, speaking to TI at this year’s TechBBQ start-up fest in Copenhagen.

“Based on this data, we provide a comprehensive report explaining the importance of monitoring menstrual blood monthly.

“Menstrual blood is not just blood; it’s more of a fluid with different components compared to venous or capillary blood. It includes a specific amount of blood, but also has bacteria and tissue from the uterus, making it particularly suitable for diagnostics,” she explains.

According to Guenou, menstrual blood contains over 400 unique proteins and biomarkers not found in regular blood. Currently, the firm’s R&D efforts are focused on identifying these proteins and the potential to expedite the diagnosis of conditions like PCOS or ovarian cancer – which it hopes to launch at the end of 2024.

“We have our own technology and methods for handling samples, as menstrual blood varies greatly from sample to sample,” she claims.

“We have developed a standardised method to ensure machines in the lab can process the samples. Then, our lab technicians, who are trained in our pre-analytical procedures, handle them.”

Results are provided through its app, giving detailed information about biomarkers like FSH – which is important for tracking conditions such as early menopause. Then, customers have an option to consult with specialists if needed.

While it has a direct-to-consumer approach, Theblood is also collaborating with research institutes and pharmaceutical companies.

“We believe in transparency and often ask customers if they’re willing to share their data for further research. Most are open to this, understanding the value of contributing to a broader understanding of women’s health.”

Due to a lack of previous research in these fields, retrieving this data is vital to continue developing digital solutions such as AI.

“Menstrual blood samples vary, and we plan to use AI to analyse differences more accurately. For example, incorporating microscopy processing will help us distinguish between healthy samples and those indicating conditions. However, we first need a solid data foundation before fully integrating AI.”

The founder likens the business model to Ancestry DNA testing kits such as 23andMe, which popularised genetic testing through powerful storytelling and consumer engagement.

“We see similar potential in menstrual blood testing. The emotional connection women have when they engage with their own health data can be profound. Our mission is to make this testing mainstream and accessible, helping women understand their bodies better,” she says.

Hormony

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayra Hurtado experienced a range of unexplained symptoms despite leading a healthy lifestyle. These included migraines, weight gain, insomnia, and anxiety.

After consulting various doctors with little progress, it was a nutritionist who took the time to run thorough tests, revealing a hormonal imbalance.

“I realised there was a substantial gap in healthcare for women, particularly post-pregnancy,” Hurtado explains.

Inspired by this revelation, Hurtado co-founded Hormony with Sarita Kumble, a biochemist from India and founder of Pictor, a start up offering blood testing technologies for small, remote labs.

Hormony aims to allow users to measure, monitor, and track hormone levels through saliva testing and claims to offer personalised insights that empower women going through perimenopause to manage their well-being.

“Our platform combines AI and scientific data to deliver bespoke advice on nutrition, exercise, and stress management,” Hurtado elaborates.

The company is on track to launch its first product, a rapid saliva test kit, by next year. With the app finalised, they are also in the middle of another round of fundraising to expand their range of tests. Currently, it can measure cortisol, LH, and FSH, and there are plans to add progesterone and oestrogen to their testing capabilities.

“In collaboration with specialised doctors, our mission is to enhance women’s health data, enabling more personalised care,” she claims.

Hurtado adds that Hormony is diligently addressing longstanding research gaps in women’s health through this approach.

By utilising data from frequent and accessible saliva testing, Hormony intends to provide deep insights into hormone regulation and lifestyle effects, for a healthier and better-informed future for women.

PhenomX Health

Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, PhenomX Health, an early-stage startup, is on a mission to improve the well-being, vitality and longevity of midlife women. The start up was co-founded alongside Colleen Draper, a clinical dietitian with a PhD in systems biology and women’s health, and Jerome Michaud.

The platform combines digital tools with scientific data to address key gaps in women’s healthcare, particularly regarding menopause.

Its app claims to include a product portfolio to track symptoms, nutrition, and emotional well-being. There are also home-based tests sampling blood and saliva and are combined with an intelligent recommendation engine, backed up, Michaud claims, with scientific expertise to offer personalised solutions.

“We operate on a B2B2C model, collaborating with consumer brands and healthcare professionals,” says Michaud, also speaking at TechBBQ.

In Q1 of this year, PhenomX Health launched a partnership with UK menopause supplement brand Issviva taking the form of a three-month programme around sleep and stress.

“Sleep and stress are one major set of challenges women face during this period. So, we developed this programme to help midlife women better manage stress and sleep and see how nutrition actually impacts their metabolic and hormonal health. They also receive Issiva gummy supplements that have been designed to help reduce stress and improve sleep.”

Using biomarkers through saliva or blood tests, alongside symptoms logged into the app, PhenomX Health’s recommendation engine personalises care identifying the supplements and nutrients that would be helpful, he adds.

Looking ahead, PhenomX Health sees an opportunity to broaden its horizons. The company’s vision includes providing enhanced support for women’s health across various stages of life, not just menopause. By addressing the longstanding neglect in menopause research, it aims to set new standards in the field, he says.

“People are starting to realise that there are huge socio-economic impacts around menopause, because the population is living longer and not necessarily in good health. Through real-world evidence collection and forward-thinking product development, we want to foster a community where women are empowered to proactively engage and benefit from health data.”

Check out the article Women in tech for more insights.

The post The startups tackling the gender data gap to improve female health appeared first on TechInformed.

Plus, Ricki talks with Rob Pereira, commercial director of healthcare, training, and education at Pico XR, to discuss VR’s potential to transform healthcare. They dive into real-world applications such as pain management, mental health diagnostics, and rehabilitation.

Pereira also shares insights on how VR can reduce patients’ pain and anxiety, its effectiveness in medical procedures, and the growing acceptance of this technology in healthcare. The conversation also touches on the challenges of adopting VR, the role of AI in enhancing patient experiences, and the promising future of VR in the medical field.

The post Headsets & Healthcare with Rob Pereira, Pico XR appeared first on TechInformed.

Britain’s publicly funded health service produces more data than the FTSE 100 companies combined. The average hospital houses around 140 data-producing systems and yet few of them talk to each other.

NHS data on the dark web is worth six to ten times more than breached data in any other sector and is worth way more than credit card details because the data can be used to create fake IDs to buy medical equipment or drugs.

And yet tech can alleviate some of these issues and boost efficiencies. It’s been calculated that messages sent to millions of patients via the NHS app have saved the organisation over £1billlion last year. The advent of digital streaming and AI meanwhile, are helping in areas such as remote health diagnostics and monitoring.

For businesses codesigning connected healthcare products with the NHS there is also the opportunity to monetise by scaling globally, with the market projected to be worth £700bn ($1 trillion) by 2032.

However, three health tech experts speaking at Connected Britain last month told delegates gathered for its healthcare session that while there was huge potential for knowledge transfer between the private and public sectors, there were still cultural, procurement and structural challenges to address.

“We’re lagging behind other nations”:  Sheena Asthana, healthtech director, Plymouth University

Sheena Asthana has conducted extensive research in digital health, with emphasis on the barriers and enablers to embedding innovation in the NHS.

According to Asthana the level of tech maturity in the UK’s public health system is lagging behind other territories, including the US, Australia and Southeast Asian countries.

“There are a number of reasons for this and if you’re coming from the tech industry it can take a while to get to grips with the vagaries of the NHS,” she explained.

While a software developer may view the NHS as one entry point, the reality is hugely fragmented with thousands of GP surgeries, hundreds of hospitals and a tapestry of social care systems – with those who are innovating doing so in different ways on different platforms.

“We used to call this type of innovation ‘Let 1,000 flowers bloom’ but the reality is often more like a messy meadow,” said Asthana. “There are a lot of weeds there and we don’t know which ones are working and which ones are not. Also, nothing is really being scaled up and everything is very short term.”

The healthtech academic also points out that there’s also a cultural resistance to all things digital – with staff often associating it with the digitisation of patient records (which was a long and painful transition for many) or simply consigning it to IT and computers.

Anatomy of a heathcare attack: read more here

“They don’t think about wearables or robotics or ways in which tasks can be reduced. And because of all the stresses in the system, people just don’t seem to have the bandwidth to think out of the box,” she added.

Asthana also noted that innovation is challenging in sectors that need to be heavily regulated.

“It’s a confusing field if you are developing AI. If it is going to influence clinical decision making it needs to go through MHRA approval as a medical device and it’s still not always clear how vendors do that still,” she added.

While Asthana noted that codesigning systems with the NHS was a “complex legal and regulatory journey” she added that it’s one the industry must start exploring – with the potential for market growth and the ability to positively impact patients’ lives acting as the main drivers.

“There’s potentially masses we could be doing in peoples’ homes from monitoring a person’s gate to diagnosing cognitive decline and risk of falls – even in areas such as checking in on loneliness, which can have big health implications – we can start to intervene earlier.”

“Telecare in Scotland needs to change”: Glenda Cook, planning manager, Glasgow City Health & Social Care Partnership

From a social care perspective, Cook told Connected Britain that there was a demographic imperative for change.

“In Scotland one in thirteen of the adult population is employed in social care workforce and we have the greatest rate of over 65s working in our sector. Soon we are going to run out of people to populate the care model,” Cook warned.

“The system is broken and still does not meet current demand, but we believe that technology can be harnessed to make that difference and shift that resource – but there are challenges,” she recognised

In care one of the key issues revolves around updating Scotland’s dated telecare programme, Cook explained. Examples of new technology in this area include ambient sensors, GPS trackers and video technology. Although these products work in isolation, they do not currently combine with the main telecare platform used in Glasgow.

“The Telecare system is Glasgow is over 30 years old and still looks the same,” Cook explains

“It was expected that the digitisation would be a catalyst to drive innovation and change but the reality is that we have ended up replacing like for like at greater cost and with less resilience- so that’s a challenge for us. Even the tech we do use to date has not been successful,” she claimed.

Connectivity, Cooked added, was key, but a lack of it in the right areas is currently one of the main barriers.

“We can’t have the tech without connectivity. We have good digital coverage in Glasgow, but it stops at our service users’ doors. It stops where we need it.

“But the potential is huge if we can address the infrastructure and cultural challenges, we can then reap business benefits. But investment is required. Because right now technology is considered niche concept in social care – even in Glasgow – and we need to get it moved to where it should be in a mainstream and transformational role.”

“I’ve worked in the NHS – now I want to co-create, innovate and make an impact”:  Sultan Mahmud, director of healthcare, BT Business

Sultan Mahmud has 25 years of experience working for the NHS in various roles, across primary and secondary services, innovating from within, and he now wants to bring BT’s expertise to transform the sector.

“I’ve lived the pain. In terms of where BT is we are a large force in the UK and our view is that there’s no other sector on this planet that is as ripe for transformation as healthcare,” he said.

One reason for this is the burgeoning health requirements of UK’s older populations: “The number of 65-year-olds with mobility issues will double, the number of 85-year-olds will treble. This puts inextricable demand on the NHS, on the back of a tough pandemic…the NHS is in trouble,” said Mahmud.

Enterprises like BT and the SME community, he added, have a role to play in supporting transformation, because there is potential to innovate, especially in terms of efficiency savings.

“The NHS app saved us about a billion pounds last year. And this app still has a long way to go – it’s not been designed for users and we’re looking at ways we can improve it.

“Then you think about the hospital space. Hospitals have largest fix cost space. For instance, every time some visits A&E that costs £400 and for a non-elective stay that’s between £6-£10K. So, we’re looking at how hospitals can more efficiently bill commissioners.”

As well as providing the technology, Mahmud firmly believes that the onus is also on industry to lead the way and support NHS staff in devising long-term tech strategies.

“If you think about the wider care system and community space. How many have a mobile or digital strategy? An infrastructure strategy? The onus is on us to show them the way.

“How secure do you think the NHS data is? It’s shocking. Look at the cyber attacks and London hospitals…that’s on us to lead the way and that’s why I moved from NHS, I felt I could make more of an impact.”

Mahmud gives an example of how BT recently used its corporate might to support digital transformation in radiology departments of hospitals in the Southeast.

Here, the business arm of the UK telco partnered with a medical AI vendor, a diagnostic firm and a messaging service to create a remote diagnostic platform for radiology which, Mahmud claimed, is currently reporting a 99.9 % accuracy rate.

“Our approach must be one of ‘Stand up and support’ – more companies in the SME and B2B sector need to collaborate, cooperate and coproduce.

Mahmud acknowledged that the mechanisms for engagement are sometimes hindered by “classical procurement rules.”

He added: “We are currently trying to break down some of these barriers and the NHS is responding.

“There are so many opportunities that we can all help with: my request is please don’t give up, there is a lot we can do but we have got to work out how we interlock.”

The post Postcards from the edge: NHS tech challenges and how industry can help appeared first on TechInformed.

With a background in the telco sector, alongside engineering and business management, Attari speaks to TI about the hurdles the NHS is facing towards digital transformation, his experiences that drive his passion, and how healthcare and technology can intertwine for improved wellbeing.

We also touch on the recent statement by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, advocating for an AI-powered NHS and his thoughts on if and how this could happen.

How has your career journey lead you to your role at Exponential-e?

For the past 25 years, I’ve been driven by a passion to support communities, citizens, and patients in achieving better outcomes using technology. This has shaped my career and led me to my current role at Exponential-e. Over the years, I’ve held senior positions within BT, O2, and KCOM, where I gained experience across engineering, networking, business management, outsourcing and sales. Each of these roles deepened my understanding of how technology can transform public services, and that insight continues to fuel my work at Exponential-e.

Could you describe an experience where you found healthcare critically needed more help from digital technologies?

One moment that stands out was during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. I received a call from the Southeast London Integrated Care Board (ICB), urgently requesting support to move the telephony systems of 208 GP sites into the cloud.

It was a critical time, and enabling patients to stay in contact with healthcare providers was essential. The situation highlighted the pressing need for rapid digital transformation in healthcare.

In just three weeks, we successfully migrated the systems to ensure that patients could reach their doctors and access the care they needed. This experience reinforced how vital digital technologies are in maintaining crucial healthcare services, particularly in times of crisis.

What moment in this role has left you feeling fulfilled and accomplished?

One of the most fulfilling and impactful moments in my career was serving as a comms subject matter expert in Gold Command during the 7/7 London Bombings. I had the opportunity to contribute my expertise and support in the response. The experience serves as a reminder of why I am so passionate about using technology to serve the public and the power it has to keep people connected when it matters most.

What challenges faced by NHS services can Exponential-e help with?

One of the most significant challenges the NHS faces right now is transitioning from analogue to digital systems. This shift is essential to deliver better patient outcomes, and at Exponential-e, we’re focused on supporting the NHS in adopting technologies that make a real difference.

One area we’re really focusing on is digital pathology, where we’re facilitating the transition to digital platforms that improve the speed and accuracy of diagnostics. By integrating AI into these platforms, we can significantly enhance diagnostics, allowing clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions. This leads to better patient outcomes and the more efficient use of resources, which is critical for the future of NHS services.

How do you envision a better-connected NHS improving the service?

It has the potential to transform healthcare delivery by accelerating diagnosis and treatment. When we enable faster diagnoses, patients can start treatment earlier which often leads to quicker recoveries and less need for extended care or rehabilitation. This not only enables them to return to their daily lives sooner but also helps reduce the strain on healthcare resources, allowing the NHS to operate more efficiently. I see this as one of the key benefits of the work we are doing with our healthcare partners.

What do you think about Tony Blair’s statement that the NHS needs to prepare for an AI era?

With the newly formed government and the recent release of the Darzi Report, the pressures on the NHS have never been more pronounced. Recently, the new UK Secretary for Health outlined three critical goals for the future of healthcare: addressing workforce shortages, reforming social care, and leveraging technology and AI.

I believe that embracing digital innovation is essential in modernising outdated systems and streamlining processes. While AI won’t replace jobs to a significant extent, it can provide the much-needed capacity for the government to enhance operational efficacy and transform public services.

 By automating laborious administrative processes and using data analytics to spot trends, AI can help civil servants and healthcare practitioners to focus on the bigger picture, delivering better patient care.

Since working in healthtech, do you find yourself more interested in technologies such as wearables/smart watches to watch your own health?

Absolutely. With the fast pace of technology, I’m constantly drawn to innovation, especially given my background as an engineer. Wearables and smart watches are a good example of the personalisation we’re seeing in healthcare and can help individuals to take a more active role in managing their health.

How do you switch off?

For me, switching off is about balance. I love spending quality time with family and friends and travelling and exploring new places. It’s a great opportunity to reset and gain fresh perspectives. Exercise is another way I unwind.

Finally, how do you take your coffee?

Black.

The post A Coffee With…Afshin Attari, director of public sector and unified platforms, Exponential-e appeared first on TechInformed.

Average annual growth was 6.1% between 2020 and 2022, compared with 1.7% between 2008 and 2019, according to health data provider Laing Buisson, with around 4.8 million people signed up to medical cover schemes- that rises to 7.3 million once dependents are included.

Simplyhealth is one of a handful of private providers in the UK tasked with connecting those who need care with clinically vetted health professionals. Claudia Nicholls, chief customer officer at Simplyhealth, explains: “The pressures on the NHS are well publicised – we think that it is not right that so many people in the UK do not have access to healthcare.

“Where we are perhaps different from other private medical insurance providers  is that we are operating in Britain trying to offer affordable everyday healthcare,” she says.

The group serves around 2.5 million and this is growing – with bold targets to hit as many as 10 million subscribers in the next few years.

“That would mean people could get access to their everyday healthcare needs while working in Britain pretty much instantaneously and see a healthcare professional either digitally or in-person,” explains Dan Eddie, customer services director at Simplyhealth.

Given that the company was founded more than 150 years ago, it has been, in many respects, a “very traditional” business, explains Eddie.

More recently, Simplyhealth’s leadership has been “very brave” in recognising that and embracing digital transformation across its products, technology and how its employees work.

He describes the healthcare provider’s digital transformation journey over the past three years as “pretty phenomenal” as it moved away from traditional analogue platforms and forms of customer service into a digital, omnichannel environment.

Customer outcomes

Simplyhealth’s tech transformation began when Eddie joined in November 2021 but it accelerated significantly when Nicholls arrived from money management and budgeting platform Snoop a year later.

“The role of tech – in the past 12 months – has accelerated in our organisation in terms of confidence,” she explains.

For Simplyhealth, the first key area of transformation has been around customer services. They acknowledge that the firm had been “inconsistent” in its delivery of good customer outcomes but were wary of introducing AI without supporting the business’s growth trajectory.

After onboarding Salesforce’s Einstein for Service AI solution, the healthcare provider has leveraged conversational AI tools on its customer calls, with the AI now accounting for 40% of all resolved calls. The system has also reduced response times for emails from 12 minutes to just one minute since launch.

“We are here to help people, but often using AI is labelled as “deflection” which is a real problem for our industry. For us, it is resolving customer issues, and that allows us to be open 24 hours a day, to stay open at Christmas, and allows our team to focus on other areas, because the boring work can be dealt with by technology.”

The private health firm’s use of automation has expanded beyond customer response, to also include processing of customer claims – something that they admit was seen as a bit of a risk initially.

Due to the complexity of payments and risk of fraudulent claims, many in the industry are risk averse when it comes to automating the claims system. To overcome this, Nicholls and her team investigated the cost of when someone complains about their claim experience to the business.

The team then calculated that any claim that is worth less than this value could be automatically approved because it is never going to cost more than the bad experience.

This realisation, she adds, triggered a rethink of Simplyhealth’s approach to claims. After putting income controls and fraud checks, it increased the value of claim that could automatically be approved.

Simplyhealth now uses Salesforce’s AI to process claims from customers looking to get money back for any procedure so that they can potentially put the money back into the customer’s pocket on day one.

“This new level of claims automation means the claims experience is first class,” says Eddie. “How do I know that? Because of feedback. 99% of our customers say they satisfied with out claims procedure, and 92% say they a very satisfied.”

This has also reduced the amount of complaints coming into the business. In January 2023, it had 600 complaints in its pipeline, and two thirds of these were related to payment claims. Automating that number has meant that month on month through 2024, it has seen a huge reduction, says Eddie.

“When you are dealing with 2.5 million customers and receiving 40,000+ contacts a month, to reduce that number of complaints down to just 24 in the pipe – that’s my favourite outcome of this transformation.

“It is representative of the end-to-end experience that our customers have with us – it means we can offer all of them a wonderful experience.”

The right partner

Simplyhealth selected CRM giant Salesforce for customer service transformation, from a list of 10 providers. According to Eddie, it was Salesforce’s ability to offer scale for growth, along with its future looking ideas around AI and automation, that really appealed.

It was already using Salesforce as its primary CRM, but switching to its AI and cloud offerings brought significant challenges – but it was still an “easy answer” says Eddie.

“You have to look forward to what is happening over the coming years,” he tells TechInformed. “You know Salesforce will be at the front of the AI journey and it was already our CRM partner, so it was trusted in the organisation.”

This buy-in from the rest of the business was vital to the plans to overhaul its customer services operation.

Nicholls agrees. “You need to have people who can look through a customer’s eyes, and a lot of vendors look at it through the view of the technology first. But technology is an enabler – it is not the endgame.

“It is also a question of if they are the right fit. Do they take action and will they allow us to transform? We don’t think the UK healthcare system is fair, or is working for everyone right now, so you need to have fire and flame to be able to create change. And you need a partner who gets that.”

Salesforce also helped deal with some of the potential regulatory issues. Health is a heavily regulated industry in the UK, which meant everything the company did was watched closely. But due to the size and experience of Salesforce, the software giant could refer to other clients it had supported taking their first steps down the AI path.

“We had to demonstrate good customer outcomes – it could be very detailed,” says Nicholls. “But what we are doing with AI is now moving into the area of quality assurance, by covering more of our customer interactions.

“Covering 100% allows us to kill two birds with one stone because the technology allows us to interact faster, and with fewer people, but it also puts a security blanket in place. We can share the data with them, and that helps get the regulator on board.”

Super Agents

For now, the healthcare provider is focussed on increasing its communications channels by integrating WhatsApp through Einstein.

“We think that could become our dominant channel,” reveals Eddie. “Then we can add a live chat and phone services through that, to really offer our customers a range of options.”

With AI already serving a key role in how Simplyhealth is serving its customer base, I ask if they expect to go even further down the AI rabbit hole. After all, we are meeting at Dreamforce, where Salesforce has just unveiled its new agentic AI solution, called Agentforce, and posters promoting the product are all around us.

The Simplyhealth team admit they are excited by the potential of tools like AgentForce, which could help them “build a cleaner experience” for customers, says Eddie.

Numbers wise, the firm is sending 1200 emails a day using Einstein, and the AI tool already saves around 95 hours a week in efficiency. But, within two years, accounting for all the tools Simplyhealth hopes to onboard, Eddie believes between 50% and 60% of all queries could be resolve by AI. The platform will also allow the company to offer support 24/7 for 365 days a year.

“We have been early adopters,” chimes Nicholls. “We take great pride in that. Our team is  up ready to integrate any new Einstein updates when they are released, because even little changes can help our customers.”

The post How AI is helping improve this healthcare provider’s patient outcomes appeared first on TechInformed.

American billionaire Jared Isaacman has become the first to participate in a private spacewalk.

Spacewalks — when astronauts leave their capsules while in space — can be highly dangerous and have previously been reserved by trained experts.

Isaacman was the first to leave SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, following an unexplained four-hour delay, to carry out the walk against the background of the Earth.

“It’s gorgeous,” he said, in awe of what he could see, as he eased out of the spacecraft into the vacuum of space, hundreds of miles from Earth.

The mission, named Polaris Dawn, tested a new line of spacesuits that are much slimmer than those worn by NASA astronauts. It is the first of three missions funded by Shift4 founder Isaacman.

Read more…

UK classifies data centres as “critical national infrastructure”

UK data centres will be classified as critical national infrastructure, meaning they will receive extra government support during major incidents.

Data centres will join the emergency services, finance, and healthcare systems in being deemed critical to daily life. This means extra steps will be taken to minimise disruption in the event of incidents such as extreme weather or a cyber-attack.

The new Labour government is backing the IT sector, as data centres are “the engines of modern life,” according to Technology Secretary Peter Kyle.

The decision follows a consultation launched by the previous government to determine if data centres should join the 13 other critical national infrastructure sectors.

This means that the government will establish a team of expert officials tasked with monitoring potential threats against data centres and coordinating a response in the case of a serious outage.

Read more…

Australian PM plots social media ban for youths

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled plans to trial age verification technology on social media platforms ahead of a potential ban to be introduced later this year.

The Australian government intends to set a minimum age for children to access social media due to concerns about mental and physical health. Albanese said this would likely be between 14 and 16.

The law would be one of the first in the world to impose an age restriction on social media and would have a major impact. Around four in five of Australia’s 26 million people reportedly use some form of social media.

“I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields, swimming pools, and the tennis courts,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm.”

Read more…

AI tests predict thousands of diseases early

According to research from AstraZeneca, artificial intelligence can now detect more than 1,000 diseases long before symptoms appear.

A new AI algorithm named MILTON examines patient test results to find patterns that help it predict future disease diagnoses with a high degree of confidence.

According to AstraZeneca, MILTON can predict ailments years in advance. The biopharmaceutical company said it would make the tool freely available to other researchers so they can develop diagnostic tests that could boost preventative care.

It took data from 500,000 people who signed up to the UK Biobank, a repository of health information. MILTON analysed data from 67 routine biomarkers, such as blood and urine samples, to detect subtle patterns that would be invisible to the human eye, highlighting potential diseases.

Read more…

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