University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has launched a pilot to test a new AI triage skin cancer community service.
The pilot aims to reduce delays in skin cancer detection and treatment during the coronavirus pandemic, by providing a screening programme using the AI tool.
Working with AI company Skin Analytics, referred patients will be provided with skin cancer triage outside of the hospital setting, using AI technology to capture high quality images of those lesions.
The screening is hoped to identify lesions which may be melanoma and requiring priority investigation by a dermatologist, and those that are safe to defer according to the BAD guidelines.
Patients will be signposted to attend the triage service, which has been set up so that the trust’s clinical photographers work with Skin Analytics to safely capture an image of the patient’s lesion which is then assessed by the AI solution and if the lesion is determined to be cancerous, a dermatologist will remotely review and place the patient on the correct treatment pathway.
Nick Barlow, Director of Applied Digital Health, UHB said “Identifying patients with melanoma over the coming weeks or months and providing treatment sooner will provide significant benefits.”
“Managing the clinical risk and finding the patients who need treatment for melanoma will also be a key focus for hospitals well beyond the COVID-19 crisis. I’m incredibly proud of the way the UHB team worked with Skin Analytics to safely design and launch this pilot in just a few short weeks.”
Neil Daly, CEO of Skin Analytics “The AI triage pathway delivers two benefits for the health system through capacity and demand management for dermatology cancer services.”
“It has been an incredible effort to get this service ready so quickly and is a great example of how well the NHS is responding to the challenge of COVID-19.”
The pilot will also be considered if the model can be continued past the coronavirus pandemic.
