Mark McLaughlin of Archangel shares his thoughts on the powerful role AI can play in the care sector…. Our AI-powered solutions are designed to empower vulnerable individuals by monitoring their health and wellbeing. At Archangel Cloud, we believe that AI has the potential to revolutionise the UK care-tech sector and significantly improve the lives of those who are most vulnerable. With an ageing population that requires less intrusive care, AI provides a viable solution to meet this need while also enhancing outcomes.
Our innovative AI-powered solutions allow for the monitoring of vital signs, medication adherence, emotional well-being and lifestyle. By processing large amounts of data in real-time, our algorithms can detect patterns and trends that would otherwise be difficult for humans to identify. This allows for earlier diagnosis and intervention, leading to improved health outcomes for vulnerable individuals.
Early detection of health issues
As a company leveraging AI, we recognise the transformational impact AI-powered devices are having on the healthcare sector, particularly in improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. In the UK care-tech sector, cloud-based AI devices are increasingly being used by healthcare providers to monitor the vital signs of individuals. These devices include wearable sensors, remote monitoring devices, and smart home technologies that can continuously track an individual’s heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other vital signs.
By leveraging AI to analyse data from these devices, healthcare professionals can identify patterns and anomalies that may signal the onset of a health issue. For instance, a wearable device could detect an irregular heartbeat, which could indicate a potential heart condition. With the aid of AI, this information can be quickly analysed and relayed to a care provider who can take prompt action to prevent further health deterioration.
One notable example of an AI-powered device in the UK care-tech sector is “CareBand”, a wearable device that utilises AI to monitor the movements and vital signs of dementia patients. This device, if combined with Archangel’s intelligent geofencing analysis would utilise GPS technology to track patients’ whereabouts and send alerts to caregivers if patients wander too far from home or fall. AI-powered algorithms can also detect changes in patients’ behaviours, such as sudden changes in sleep patterns, which could indicate the onset of a health issue.
An additional demonstration is “MySense”, a smart home technology that utilises AI to observe the activities and vital signs of elderly individuals who live alone. This device records the individual’s daily routines and can inform healthcare providers in the event of any noteworthy deviations. If this device is integrated with Archangel, the wealth of personalised routine data collected could not only identify deviations but also predict their occurrence, providing insights that can recognise symptoms of cognitive decline or depression. This serves as an excellent illustration of how enhancing AI through data aggregation and cloud-based analysis can expand a device’s functional capability beyond device-level reliance.
The integration of AI-powered devices, supported by intelligent cloud platforms like Archangel, has enormous potential in the UK care-tech sector. It enables earlier detection of health issues, providing timely interventions and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. Using AI-powered devices to monitor vital signs, detect anomalies, and track changes in behaviour are just a few examples of how technology is transforming the entire care sector. With further advancements in AI and wearable technology, the possibilities for improving care for vulnerable individuals are endless.
Personalised care plans
AI powered platforms have the potential to transform the way personalised care is provided in the UK. By analysing data from numerous sources, refined AI systems can help care providers develop personalised care plans for each individual. The integration of AI in the care sector can provide a comprehensive understanding of each person’s needs by understanding their medical history, medication and lifestyle. With this information, AI algorithms can identify patterns and predict potential health issues, enabling care providers to intervene and provide tailored care to those vulnerable.
Moreover, personalised care plans can help to improve vulnerable individuals’ overall wellbeing and quality of life. According to a report by the Health Foundation, personalised care can help to reduce hospital admissions, emergency department visits and overall healthcare costs. By ensuring that patients receive the care they need, tailored to their specific needs, patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans and experience better health outcomes.
AI-powered personalised care plans can also improve the efficiency of care provision. With a personalised care plan, care providers can coordinate care between multiple providers, ensuring that vulnerable individuals receive consistent and comprehensive care. AI can also assist with resource allocation, ensuring that each person receives the appropriate level of care and reducing the likelihood of hospital readmissions.
In summary, the integration of AI in the care-tech sector can provide significant benefits to both vulnerable people and care providers. By developing personalised care plans for everyone, care providers can improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. AI can also improve the efficiency of care provision, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively maintaining consistent and comprehensive care.
Improved communication
Communication is key in any care setting but it can be challenging for care providers to keep everyone informed and up to date. AI-powered communication tools can help bridge this gap by providing a more efficient and effective way to communicate with those who are vulnerable and their families. These tools can use natural language processing (NLP) and machine-learning algorithms to interpret and respond to inquiries, provide health advice and assist in scheduling appointments.
One example of an AI-powered communication tool in the UK care sector is Babylon Health’s AI chatbot. The chatbot uses NLP to understand patients’ queries and provide relevant health advice. It can also schedule appointments and send reminders to patients and their care providers. According to Babylon Health, the chatbot has helped reduce waiting times for appointments and improved patient satisfaction.
Another example is the Access Care Planning app developed by the Access Group. The app uses AI and machine-learning algorithms to provide personalised care plans and recommendations for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes. It also includes a messaging system for patients to communicate with their care providers, allowing for more efficient and effective communication.
AI-powered communication tools can also improve the coordination of care amongst different care providers. For example, the Patients Know Best platform uses AI algorithms to integrate patient data from different care providers and present it in a unified and easily accessible format. This can help care providers to make more informed decisions and provide better-coordinated care.
While AI-powered communication tools have the potential to improve communication and coordination in the care sector, there’s also challenges to their implementation. These challenges include ensuring data privacy and security, avoiding biases in algorithms and addressing the digital divide that may limit access to these tools for some individuals.
Despite these challenges, the use of AI-powered communication tools is growing in the UK care-tech sector, and their potential benefits cannot be ignored. With the ability to improve communication and coordination among care providers, patients and their families, these tools have the potential to improve the overall quality of care and patient outcomes.
Predictive analytics
Machine learning has the potential to identify patterns in health data that may be difficult for humans to recognise. By analysing large amounts of data, AI algorithms can predict potential health outcomes and identify risks before they escalate. This can help care providers to intervene early and provide preventative care to vulnerable people.
For example, AI algorithms such as those utilised within Archangel could analyse data from electronic health records, wearables, and other monitoring devices to predict which individuals are at the highest risk of hospital readmission. By identifying them early, care providers can take steps to prevent complications and avoid readmissions.
Furthermore, AI can also be used to identify people who may be at risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or dementia. By providing targeted interventions, care providers can help them to manage their conditions and prevent them from deteriorating.
AI has the potential to revolutionise the way care is provided to vulnerable people in the UK by predicting and preventing health issues. It can also help care providers develop personalised care plans and improve communication with patients and their families.
Assistive technology
Assistive technology powered by AI has the potential to revolutionise the lives of people with disabilities. By leveraging AI-enhanced smart home devices powered by Archangel, people can become more independent and improve their overall quality of life. AI can help to identify the specific needs of people and develop personalised solutions to address those needs. For example, smart home devices can be programmed to help those with mobility issues to control lights, temperature, and other appliances, allowing them to live more comfortably and independently.
AI-powered assistive technology can also help people with cognitive disabilities by providing reminders and assistance with daily tasks. For example, platform agnostic virtual assistants integrated with Archangel, including Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant, can be used to provide medication reminders, set reminders for appointments and even provide instructions for completing tasks.
The use of AI-powered assistive technology has been on the rise in recent years with companies like Apple, Google and Amazon investing heavily in developing these technologies. As the technology becomes more advanced and widely adopted, the potential for improving the lives of people with disabilities will only continue to grow.
Enhanced training for care providers
AI can be used to identify patterns and trends in data, which can help to identify areas where care providers may need additional training or support. For example, if there is a recurring issue or problem in a certain care home, AI can analyse the data to determine the root cause and suggest areas where training or additional support may be needed. This can help to improve the quality of care provided and ensure that elderly patients receive the best possible care.
Moreover, AI can also be used to help care providers manage their workload and ensure that they are providing care efficiently. By analysing patient data and predicting future needs, AI can help care providers to prioritise tasks and allocate resources more effectively. This can help to reduce the workload of care providers and ensure that vulnerable people receive timely and appropriate care.
Overall, the integration of AI in the UK care-tech sector has the potential to transform the way care is provided to vulnerable people. By leveraging the power of AI-powered cloud platforms such as Archangel, care providers can improve outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the overall quality of care. As AI technology continues to evolve and improve, it is likely that we will see even more innovative applications within this sector in the future.
Archangel will always strive to remain at the forefront of this vanguard, leading the charge forward.
