The predictive AI tool can anticipate a patient’s risk of falling with 97% accuracy and is in use across more than two-thirds of NHS integrated care systems across the country.
A predictive AI tool, developed by health tech provider Cera, is being rolled out across the NHS that can predict a patient’s risk of falling with 97% accuracy. It is estimated that this could prevent as many as 2,000 falls and hospital admissions each day.
The software is in use across more than two-thirds of NHS integrated care systems across the country and helps to provide care at home by flagging as many as 5,000 high-risk alerts a day, reducing hospitalisations by up to 70%.
Cera’s AI software will also be used to detect the symptoms of winter illnesses like COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus, allowing NHS and care teams to intervene before hospital care is needed.
The technology works by allowing carers, family members and healthcare staff to record patient updates on an app which then monitors and reacts to a range of vital health signs in real time, such as blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.
“This AI tool is a perfect example of how the NHS can use the latest tech to keep more patients safe at home and out of hospital, two cornerstones of the upcoming 10-year Health Plan that will see shifts from analogue to digital, and from hospital to community care,” said Vin Diwakar, national director of transformation at NHS England.
Falls and fractures
Falls are the largest cause of emergency hospital admissions for older people with estimates that around 30% of people aged 65 and above – 2.5 million people – and around half of those aged 80 and above will experience a fall at least once a year. These falls and fractures account for over 4 million bed days a year at a cost that the NHS estimates to be around £2 billion.
Since a successful trial in July 2023, the use of Cera has led to a reduction of A&E attendances and freed up hospital beds, which the NHS says is saving the NHS more than £1 million a day.
“This is smart, preventative healthcare in action, and exactly the kind of transformation we’re championing in our 10 Year Health Plan – shifting from treating sickness to preventing it, from hospital to community care, and from analogue to digital solutions,” said minister of state for care Stephen Kinnock.
Cera raised $150 million (£123.4 million) in venture funding at the end of January. As Healthcare Today reported at the time, the London-based group has now raised $557.2 million in nine rounds of equity and debt funding since 2016.
