With an aging population and healthcare systems under strain around the globe, there's an urgent need to improve efficiency in healthcare. The healthcare industry has been undergoing digitalisation for decades, with a focus on data capture, and it is now beginning to derive insights from the gathered data.

For example, hospitals are already using algorithms to reduce no-shows in outpatient care. And research is ongoing on how generative AI can lessen the burden of medical coding, prioritise patients based on the severity of their needs and more.

Much of the data gathering and optimisation focuses on non-clinical data to improve operational efficiency. However, implementing quality measures could improve care delivery. In the UAE, Emirates Health Services (EHS) has embarked on pioneering efforts to use AI to assess surgeon performance for the first time. Results based on 14 indicators are continuously updated on a dashboard accessible to managers and surgeons. The project, called SurgiSense, is a benchmarking tool that compares three domains: structure, process and outcomes.

Why It Matters

"As part of the process, we are building a culture of transparency," explained Dr. Sara AlShaya, director of the Data and Statistics Department (DSD) at EHS. "We don’t want to label surgeons as good or bad but aim to support them in their professional development. The end goal is great service."

This AI-driven project has helped assess a surgeon's commitment to participating in continuing education programs, research activities, quality improvement initiatives and adherence to professional standards. The developed metrics also include patient safety ones that facilitate the evaluation of a surgeon's adherence to evidence-based guidelines and best practices and assess the quality of care.

Other AI Projects at EHS

Assessing surgical performance is only one of the projects EHS' DHD runs. Under the leadership of AlShaya, the department also designed or is using analytics for:

• an advanced analytics-driven clinical program for diabetes management
• leveraging AI to predict no-show appointments and enhance physicians' time utilisation
• predicting inpatient admission in the emergency department
• using AI to forecast COVID-19 infection risk and ICU mortality
• implementing AI for predicting antimicrobial consumption and days of therapy as part of an antimicrobial stewardship initiative
• developing data-driven approaches for childhood obesity management
• creating sustainable AI solutions for climate change management
• conducting customer intelligence programs using AI-driven patient feedback sentiment analysis, and establishing an EHS intelligence platform with smart data hubs and self-analytical apps for cross-functional intelligence
• implementing a smart intelligence platform for research conduct at EHS.

Future Expectations

The SurgiSense project is still in its early stages. In June, all data and feedback from surgeons will be analysed to determine which decisions were influenced by the dashboard. This analysis will be followed by planning enhancements.

Dr. Sara AlShaya, director of the Data and Statistics Department at the Emirates Health Services (EHS), will speak at the Telehealth Masterclass at the 2024 HIMSS European Health Conference & Exhibition, which is scheduled for 29-31 May 2024 in Rome. Learn more and register.