Automated, intelligent oral contraception prescribing via telemedicine - using AI to improve patient health outcomes and streamline time-intensive assessment processes, exacerbated by COVID-19

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Covid 19 has validated and compounded the need for improved efficiencies (identified within the NHS Long Term plan) via the urgent introduction of automation and the utilisation of Telemedicine where feasible to reduce strain on resources, especially with the prospect of a second wave/future spikes on the horizon.The ongoing impact of Covid-19 meant over 45% of non-urgent appointments were either cancelled or postponed, leaving GP's with significant backlogs. Contraception and prescription of Oral Contraceptives (OC) is the second most common reason to visit a GP (UK), accounting for more than 20m appointments/annum, equivalent to 13,900 days and is classed as "non-urgent."This has been further compounded by the closure of 54% of Sexual Health Clinics, often utilised by young females for contraceptive consultations, leaving many unsupported.Intelligent, automated technology, as identified in the NHS Long-Term/NIHR post-Covid strategies, can help in this regard in particular when combined with recently curated large female health datasets on hormonal profiles. Reducing demand on GP clinics whilst improving the prescribing process by ensuring optimum available medication is prescribed first time (52% of users suffer side-effects on the first prescribed medication, on average resulting in 2 further consultations to manage adverse side-effects and determine optimum medication).Building upon our CE-Marked hormonal health platform and prototype TRL5 patient stratification algorithms, we intend to develop and trail (alongside NHS partner CNWL NHS Trust) a new Telemedicine platform for female contraceptive treatments that will;* Automate the consultation and triage process* Intelligently/accurately select the optimum available OC via patient stratification (utilising advanced algorithms) that considers a woman's unique hormone profile* Ongoing remote outreach and monitoring by our digital support hub-\> earlier detection of side-effects, mitigation through counselling/coaching /medication changes where warranted.**Impact**The project addresses both a long-term inefficiency in the current prescribing method, as well as addresses the immediate impact of COVID-19 on GPs/Primary Care. The technology will explicitly;1. Remove the need for a GP in 70% of all cases via remote triage: saving ~9730 GP-days/annum.2. Improve the triage process for remaining 30% of complex cases via our CE-Marked knowledge base for GPs.3. Improve the accuracy of medication prescription through AI-assisted patient stratification, reducing re-consultations by ~60%.4. Enable remote prescribing via our partners Pharmacy2U&Mayberry\_Pharmacy5. Help reduce the ~£1.9Bn cost to the NHS of hormonal medication related side-effects(NHS:2019)6. Improve patient care and proactive management through digital outreach and interaction.7. Can be rolled out nationally, at scale, quickly.