Revolutionizing Post-Heart Surgery Care with AI: Virtual Assistant Enhances Patient Monitoring

Revolutionizing Post-Heart Surgery Care with AI: Virtual Assistant Enhances Patient Monitoring

(IN BRIEF) A Spanish hospital has successfully used an AI-powered virtual voice assistant, LOLA, to monitor patients after heart surgery, leading to early detection of complications and high patient satisfaction. This innovative approach has allowed for quicker hospital discharges and reduced strain on healthcare resources.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 27-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In a groundbreaking development in digital healthcare, researchers from the Dr. Balmis General University Hospital in Alicante, Spain, have successfully implemented a virtual voice assistant to monitor patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This innovative approach, powered by artificial intelligence and natural language processing, has proven highly effective in identifying complications and ensuring patient satisfaction, as revealed in the TeleTAVI study presented at the ESC Congress 2024.

The study, led by Dr. Marta Herrero Brocal, highlights how the virtual assistant, named LOLA, has transformed post-surgery care by making over 1,000 follow-up calls to patients, allowing healthcare professionals to monitor their progress without the need for frequent in-person visits. With the ability to make more than 40 calls in just two hours, LOLA gathered vital information about patients’ cardiovascular health and vascular access, enabling timely interventions when necessary.

Key findings from the study include:

• A 94% call completion rate with an impressive 89% of calls answered by patients.
• 57% of the calls resulted in at least one intervention, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system in detecting and addressing potential issues early on.
• The virtual assistant facilitated rapid discharge, with over 40% of patients leaving the hospital within 24 hours post-procedure.

Patient feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 89% expressing high satisfaction with the system and 86% stating they would recommend LOLA to others. The use of LOLA not only improved patient outcomes but also reduced the strain on healthcare resources, showcasing the potential of AI-driven solutions in modern medicine.

Dr. Herrero Brocal emphasized, “The success of the TeleTAVI study underscores the value of integrating AI into patient care. By providing safe, efficient, and timely follow-up, we can enhance recovery outcomes and optimize healthcare delivery.”

This pioneering approach marks a significant step forward in the use of AI for post-operative care, offering a scalable model that can be adapted to various medical procedures, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care with minimal resource expenditure.

References and notes 

1The abstract “Use of telemedicine with artificial intelligence for patient monitoring after transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a virtual voice assistant” will be presented during the session ‘Innovations in telemedicine, robotics, and digital solutions,’ which takes place on Friday 30 August 2024 at 16:20 BST, Station 8.

2Coffey S, Roberts-Thomson R, Brown A, et al. Global epidemiology of valvular heart disease. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2021;18:853–864.

3Salinas P, Moreno R, Calvo L, et al. Long-term follow-up after transcatheter aortic valve implantation for severe aortic stenosis. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2016;69:37–44.

About ESC Congress 2024

It is the world’s largest gathering of cardiovascular professionals, disseminating ground-breaking science both onsite in London and online – from 30 August to 2 September. Explore the scientific programme.  More information is available from the ESC Press Office at press@escardio.org. 

About the European Society of Cardiology

The ESC brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people to live longer, healthier lives.

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SOURCE: European Society of Cardiology (ESC)