Building Workforce Capacity with AI Automation

HETT 2022 sponsor EBO deploy Conversational AI technology to enable NHS Trusts and Private Hospitals to instantly and meaningfully support and engage their patients at scale. By automating patient-facing admin processes they build workforce capacity and save staff precious time, focusing on benefits-realisation and continuous optimisation to drive maximum business value.

We caught up with Paul Boland - EBO Healthcare Director to discuss driving innovation in automation to improve patient outcomes in NHS trusts.

Paul: EBO help health and care organisations automate patient interactions- increasing workforce capacity and reducing operational costs. We work with organisations in 5 countries, including several NHS Trusts, to help bring automation solutions to patient-facing administrative tasks.

These tasks range from patient-led appointment bookings through to PROMS/ PREMS and consent to treatment. Whatever the task, we give patients a way of communicating with their health provider, using natural, 2-way automated conversation that patients find much more engaging than filling out forms. In fact, 91% of patients who use the EBO AI- powered Virtual Assistant to communicate with their health and care provider, say they had a positive experience.

HETT: Considering the evolution and use of digital technologies in the sector, what are some of the biggest challenges that you have identified when working closely with your NHS/Care partners?

Paul: The NHS is facing the worst staffing crisis in history with 1 in 20 posts vacant. Staff burnout and below inflation pay rises, means experienced staff are leaving the NHS in large numbers.

There are almost 7 million people on NHS waiting lists. Whilst there is a real focus on clearing the backlog, workforce challenges are making this difficult.

At the same time, patients want and expect a greater say in their own care. Waiting patients want regular, effective communications with their health and care providers.

HETT: Tell us how working with your products and solutions can help tackle some of the challenges that exist within digital health.

Paul: EBO helps automate those repetitive, administrative processes that are time-consuming and can be completed efficiently through automation. Unlike most automation, we tackle the patient-facing interactions, where effective communication is key. We give NHS staff back the gift of time- freeing them up to spend more time with patients who need it most.

EBO’s elective recovery solution harnesses the power of AI to enable large-scale, effective communications with waiting patients for processes including Waiting List Validation, Smart Booking of clinic slots and Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU).

Our expertise in conversational AI means health and care providers can go beyond ‘dumb’ web forms and SMS messages to have meaningful, automated 2-way interactions with patients using natural conversation. This means patients can ask a question and get an immediate response with empathy, that is as natural as interacting with a real person.

HETT: We will be hosting HETT Connect again this year, enabling speakers to meet with exhibitors on a 1:1 basis. Who are you hoping to meet

Paul: We’re really looking forward to attending HETT 2022 and meeting both operational and digital attendees who are looking for effective, digital solutions that will help reduce the clinical administrative burden and address the workforce capacity issues we’re facing.

We’d love to meet health and care professionals who recognise the opportunity to use technology to ease the burden on health and care staff; and who are interested in learning more about the benefits of conversational AI in patient-facing scenarios.


HETT: As HETT Show approaches (27-28 Sept @ExCeL London), tell us what you are looking forward to the most at HETT Show 2022.

Paul: After the disruption caused by the pandemic, we’re so looking forward to meeting people face to face and having meaningful conversations again. We’ll meet lots of new faces and a few old, learn lots about what we’re trying to achieve across the sector, and hopefully, contribute to a lively few days of learning and excellent networking.

HETT: Thank you for your time today- it’s been a pleasure catching up with you! We look forward to seeing you at HETT Show (27th & 28th September, ExCeL London)!