With an aging population and healthcare systems under strain globally, there is an urgent need to improve efficiency in healthcare. The healthcare industry has been undergoing digitalization for decades, focusing on data collection and is now starting to draw insights from the data collected.
For example, hospitals have used algorithms to reduce no-shows in outpatient care. And research is underway on how AI can create ways to ease the burden of medical coding, prioritize patients based on the severity of their needs, etc.
Much of the data collection and optimization focuses on non-clinical data to improve operational efficiency. However, implementing quality measures can improve care delivery. In the UAE, Emirates Health Services (EHS) has for the first time embarked on pioneering efforts to use AI to evaluate surgeon performance. Results based on 14 metrics are continuously updated on a dashboard that managers and surgeons can access. The project, called SurgiSense, is a benchmarking tool that compares three areas: structure, process and results.
Why is it important?
“As part of the process, we are building a culture of transparency,” explains Dr. Sara AlShaya, director of the Department of Data and Statistics (DSD) at EHS. “We don’t want to judge surgeons as good or bad but rather aim to support their professional development. The ultimate goal is excellent service.”
This AI-driven project helped evaluate surgeons’ commitment to participating in continuing education programs, research activities, quality improvement initiatives, and adherence to professional standards. subject. The metrics developed also include patient safety metrics to facilitate assessment of surgeon compliance with guidelines and best practices based on evidence as well as assessment of quality of care.
Other AI projects at EHS
Evaluating surgical effectiveness is just one of the projects that EHS’s DHD undertakes. Under AlShaya’s leadership, the department has also designed or is using analytics for:
- an advanced analytics-based clinical program for diabetes management
- Leverage AI to predict no-shows and improve physician time utilization
- Predicting inpatient admission to the emergency department
- uses AI to predict the risk of COVID-19 infection and ICU mortality
- deploying AI to predict antibiotic consumption and days of treatment as part of antibiotic stewardship initiatives
- develop data-driven approaches to managing childhood obesity
- creating sustainable AI solutions to manage climate change
- conduct customer information collection programs using AI-driven patient feedback sentiment analysis and establish an EHS smart platform with smart data centers and self-analysis applications for multifunctional intelligence
- deploying a smart intelligence platform for research activities at EHS.
Future expectations
The SurgiSense project is still in its early stages. In June, all data and feedback from surgeons will be analyzed to determine which decisions were influenced by the dashboard. This analysis will be followed by planning improvements.
Dr. Sara AlShaya, director of the Department of Data and Statistics at Emirates Health Services (EHS), will speak at the Telehealth Masterclass at the HIMSS 2024 European Medical Conference & Exhibition, scheduled to take place from 29-31 May 2024 in Rome. Learn more and register.
