Intelligent automation – the key to personalised care in a growing world

The dynamic nature of the healthcare world – and the impact of the past few years – has driven an even greater need for clinicians to have access to all patient information in real time and to be able to access this information from anywhere. Interoperability between systems and ensuring this information is safe and secure are absolute prerequisites.

A tailored approach to healthcare

Information, communication, speed and customisation help deliver a tailored approach to healthcare for the individual. This helps to maintain a personal touch in a world with over seven billion people. Without using technology to deliver this approach, the individual is lost amongst the masses, having their needs dictated to them based on general decision-making instead of personalised decision-making. 

Technology can help the individual to retain their voice and stand up for their needs. People-driven technology can be used to ensure that the rights of an individual and the right to be considered on a personal basis is respected, particularly as the population grows and the demand for essential services increases.

The importance of interoperability

To give the individual more of a voice and bring about the age of personalised care, the UK healthcare system is undergoing a mass overhaul of its IT systems — and all of the systems need to be able to talk to each other in a secure way. The process involves healthcare professionals, technology companies, and cyber security experts working collaboratively.

More personalised data means better decision-making and even opens up the possibilities of preventative and predictive care to be one step ahead of potential problems, instead of trying to solve them as they arise.

The benefits of integrated care are:

• The flow of information across health and social care will be faster and more consistent

• Due to immediate and secure access of complete accurate health and care records, better decisions can be made

• This leads to a better experience of care for the patient

• People can move faster through the health and care system, which can save time, money and lead to faster access to care

Intelligent automation

In order to reach this new horizon in healthcare, we need to get the foundations right, the digital architecture of the health and care system.

The demands on healthcare professionals has highlighted the need for their time to be spent with patients vs. working through disparate information to support patient care. Intelligent automation of clinical information is an enabler for this new way of working.

Numerous vendors have brought to market automation solutions and many have delivered real tangible value to the NHS. However, the ability to integrate new information into a patient record using technology such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), whilst maintaining the inherent speed of access to the information has eluded the market to date.

A solution has been developed by Darren Atkins, chief technology officer (automation and AI – NHS) that enables healthcare professionals to access information from Blue Prism Cloud through our electronic document management system, MediViewer™, as a single source view. 

By using of the open API architecture, the BluePrism Cloud RPA engine can be integrated with MediViewer™.  This delivers tangible value, quickly, to NHS Trusts who have both MediViewer™ and BluePrism Cloud in place. The speed of integration is incredible and demonstrates clearly the value of technology partners working together for the greater good of the health service.

Leveraging the power of Blue Prism Cloud to interact directly with MediViewer™ Open API allows the rapid upload of clinical documentation without the need to use the front-end user interface. Using existing processes within the NHS Digital Exchange, for example, retrieving GP referrals from electronic record systems with the MediViewer™ API allows real-time uploading of clinical documentation without any human input.  The list of opportunities is endless.

- Darren Atkins, chief technology officer, NHS.