New trial of AI phone assistant to monitor patients with long-term illness
An AI assistant that conducts telephone consultations with patients is being trialed in the NHS to help clinicians monitor people with long-term illness. In the trial phase, the virtual assistant, called Dora Care, is designed to deliver safe and empathetic phone calls for people with osteoporosis—a bone-weakening condition that affects 3.5 million people in the U.K., particularly women and those…
A new trial is underway in the NHS using an AI phone assistant called Dora Care to monitor patients with long-term illnesses, specifically osteoporosis. Osteoporosis affects 3.5 million people in the U.K., primarily women and those over 50. Fracture liaison services that monitor these patients have faced staffing shortages, and the condition costs the NHS £4.5 billion annually in treatment.
Researchers at the University of York are exploring whether AI can safely support routine checkups. Dr. Kate Preston from the University of York s Center for Assuring Autonomy highlights the challenge of AI being empathetic and supportive for vulnerable patients. The two-year project uses generative AI to conduct natural, spoken conversations with patients over the phone.
Linguistics experts analyzed empathetic behaviors of human clinicians to ensure the AI sounds empathetic and safe. The trial, approved by medical and ethical authorities, involves voluntary participation and is designed to complement, not replace, patients' regular NHS care. Safety specialists at the University of York are developing a safety framework to monitor the technology during the trial.
If successful, the AI assistant could be expanded to monitor other long-term illnesses like diabetes, heart failure, and COPD.
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