AI assistant helps NHS staff increase time with patients by almost 25%
New NHS AI trial found to boost efficiency
- An AI assistant named Tortus, trialled across nine NHS sites in London, has enabled staff to spend nearly 25 per cent more time interacting directly with patients.
- The technology automatically transcribes consultations and produces summaries for medics, significantly reducing administrative burden.
- The study found Tortus increased direct patient-clinician interaction by 23.5 per cent and reduced overall appointment length by 8.2 per cent.
- In emergency departments, its use led to a 13.4 per cent increase in patients seen per shift and halved the time taken for initial patient notes.
- Economic modelling suggests national implementation of Tortus could facilitate an additional 9,259 A&E consultations daily, potentially saving £176 million and unlocking £658 million in capacity annually.