For the first time WhatsApp and AI have been approved by the NHS for appointment scheduling.
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB), the Islington GP Federation and technology provider SPRYT are piloting the use of WhatsApp and AI to streamline cancer screening appointment booking and rescheduling.
The pilot is focused on increasing the uptake of cervical cancer screening.
It allows patients to book, reschedule and cancel appointments via WhatsApp at any time, without requiring any new app or website
The uptake of cervical cancer screening is low in some underserved population groups in London, with less than 10% response rate to cervical screening invitations in some communities.
Starting with one GP Federation, the pilot will be rolled out across North Central London, and it is hoped across London.
Daragh Donohoe, CEO of SPRYT, said “We are excited to be collaborating with the NHS in North London. Our aim is to make appointment booking simple for patients while also increasing attendance at preventative healthcare appointments. WhatsApp is the communication tool of choice for a large part of the population – not only does it improve convenience for patients, but it also significantly reduces the burden on primary care teams.”
Asa, the AI receptionist
The technology involves the use of an AI receptionist, Asa, that streamlines the appointment management process for patients and staff.
It allows patients to book, reschedule and cancel appointments via WhatsApp at any time, without requiring any new app or website.
Patients can interact with Asa like they would with a human receptionist.
Asa provides reassurance and answers patients’ questions (non-diagnostic) relating to their appointment or general questions (directions etc) but never offers medical advice.
Asa can also send voice messages in patients’ recorded language to improve uptake in patients with a low command of English.
Further, the AI receptionist incorporates behavioural science and generative AI to tailor language and messaging to different patient groups, improving communication and engagement with patients and optimising their attendance rate.
This is particularly important in preventative healthcare where patients are encouraged to attend appointments even when they are not experiencing symptoms.
The intervention was designed with input from behavioural science and intercultural communications experts.
Asa leverages AI to predict and reduce no-shows, providing clinic staff with actionable insights on which patients are likely to miss their appointment.
Automating scheduling will reduce organisational pressures in the NHS and enable the medical admin staff to focus on underserved patients as well as freeing up time to focus on other tasks.
Additionally, this proactive approach in managing patient appointments and interactions can lead to a more positive perception of the healthcare administration process, shifting the view of medical administrators from gatekeepers to facilitators of care.
The NHS has seen the introduction of a number of digital advancements since the COVID pandemic.
The implementation of WhatsApp and AI for scheduling is a ground-breaking initiative that is expected to help facilitate early disease detection, improve patient survival as well as reduce operational inefficiencies and late-stage disease burden on the NHS.
Lucy McLaughlin, NHS NCL Head of Cancer Commissioning, said: “Asa is designed to address three key challenges for cervical screening in North Central London, namely low uptake of cervical screening appointments, low engagement amongst some patient population segments, and non-attendance of appointments in primary care. We also hope the tool will improve patients’ experiences and help them feel reassured to access the tests they need.”