Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) has collaborated with EBO and The Access Group to embark on a transformative pilot project to automate the Memory Assessment and Management Service (MAMS) Assessment Form, using EBO’s AI solution.
The pilot project is currently focusing on pre-assessment forms completed by patients and their carers ahead of their MAMS initial assessment appointment.
More time for patient care
The MAMS Service offers memory assessments for individuals over 18 experiencing memory problems or other cognitive difficulties.
During a typical patient consultation, clinicians spend up to 75% of the appointment time asking patients background questions. EBO’s Virtual Assistant (VA) offers an innovative substitution to this lengthy process.
Using advanced Conversational AI, EBO engages with patients and their carers through a user-friendly Virtual Assistant, facilitating natural, two-way dialogue. This patient-centric automated two-way conversation does away with tedious unengaging digital forms, allowing individuals to easily complete their assessments at their own pace, in the comfort of their own home, and with the option of having a carer or loved one assist them.
The results are then automatically uploaded into the Rio Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, thanks to EBO’s seamless integration. This ensures a smooth and efficient transfer of accurate information, reducing manual work and administration.
A Streamlined Workflow
With EBO’s Virtual Assistant, patients with accepted referrals will have the option to complete the MAMS form online. They will receive a link and joining instructions, including a guide on completing the form independently or with a carer. Patients can choose the order in which to complete the assessment and save their progress and return later, with the ability to take breaks of up to 60 minutes while leaving the website open.
Upon completion, responses are uploaded directly into the Trust’s Clinical System and reviewed by a Memory Assessment Practitioner, who then reaches out to the patient to arrange an appointment and discuss their results.
Positive Feedback and Significant Benefits
Initial feedback from patients and carers has been remarkably positive, with 62% expressing that they liked their experience using the Virtual Assistant and 38% remaining neutral. The MAMS practitioners report a significant reduction in clinical time spent collecting information from the patient, saving approximately 50% of time taken to complete an initial appointment equating to one hour of precious clinical time.
What’s more, an unexpected benefit noted by carers is that they do not have to discuss sensitive issues relating to memory symptoms in the patient's presence, which can be distressing.
