GPs turn to AI to help with patient workload

The difficulty of getting an appointment with a GP is a familiar gripe in the UK.

Even when an appointment is secured, the rising workload faced by doctors means those meetings can be shorter than either the doctor or patient would like.

But Dr Deepali Misra-Sharp, a GP partner in Birmingham, has found that AI has alleviated a chunk of the administration from her job, meaning she can focus more on patients.

Dr Mirsa-Sharp started using Heidi Health, a free AI-assisted medical transcription tool that listens and transcribes patient appointments, about four months ago and says it has made a big difference.

“Usually when I’m with a patient, I am writing things down and it takes away from the consultation,” she says. “This now means I can spend my entire time locking eyes with the patient and actively listening. It makes for a more quality consultation."

She says the tech reduces her workflow, saving her “two to three minutes per consultation, if not more”. She reels off other benefits: “It reduces the risk of errors and omissions in my medical note taking."

With a workforce in decline while the number of patients continues to grow, GPs face immense pressure.

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Source: BBC News, 14 January 2025