24/02/2025
News from NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight:
AI is helping to reduce the waiting list for cataract surgeries across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Thanks to the help of Dora, an artificial intelligence telephone assistant, average waiting times for low complexity cataract surgery in Hampshire and Isle of Wight have reduced, from 35 weeks to 10 weeks or less.
Dora calls patients waiting for cataract surgery, speaks to them in a natural voice and gathers medical history. Dora is also capable of offering patients a choice of treatment locations based on waiting times and distance from their home.
All hospitals in Hampshire and Isle of Wight have made massive strides in reducing the waits for cataract surgery. Dora has allowed us to develop a single point of access for referrals, reducing the burden of administrative processes and providing clear options to patients. Using Dora has also allowed us to free-up time for our nursing teams to concentrate on more surgical work, while Dora makes the phone calls and completes the administration duty.
We have had some great feedback from patients who have said that Dora is very clear and easy to understand. She also engages and interacts with patients and can understand what they are saying and asking.
Dora has made more than 1,200 calls to patients since January 2024, which has freed up many hours of nursing time. We have a high volume of cataract surgeries, with around 15,000 patients undergoing surgery each year. A Dora patient experience survey from July to December 2024 showed that 92% of patients were extremely satisfied with the experience.