UHG’s Emergency Department has commenced a pioneering study aimed at enhancing the efficiency and quality of GP discharge letters through artificial intelligence.

The UHG study, which is in collaboration with James Foley, an Emergency Medicine Consultant in UHG, will leverage MedWrite.ai’s AI Assistant, which generates GP letters from simple voice notes recorded by clinicians to conduct a research study, to determine the efficiency and quality of AI assistance on documentation standards.

The MedWrite.ai system ensures a human-in-the-loop approach, meaning every letter is reviewed by the responsible clinician before being finalised.

This study has been made possible by funding from the Acute Pre-Admission Integrated Navigational Hub, and the HSE Spark Funding Initiative.

Dr James Foley explained that discharge summaries played an essential role in informing GPs about a patient’s episode of care, ensuring continuity and preventing adverse events.

“One of the most time-consuming tasks in the emergency department is writing these post-discharge letters, and our study will evaluate whether AI can improve both their quality and efficiency,” he said.

“The department has worked closely with MedWrite.ai to develop an assistant tailored to our research needs, and we’re excited to explore its potential to inform future decisions about AI in a real-world ED setting. Any initiative that increases efficiency in this pressurised environment must be considered,” added Dr Foley.

MedWrite CEO, Sean Kirwan, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing the potential of AI to support clinicians in high-pressure environments while maintaining accuracy and oversight.

“Every letter remains human-reviewed, ensuring quality and safety,” he said.

Pictured:  GP Liaison Nurse Siobhan McGrath; Dr James Foley, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, AI Project Lead; Professor John O’ Donnell, Consultant in Emergency Medicine; Sinead McDonnell, Clinical Nurse Manager 3, Emergency Department; Kevin Collins, ICT Manager and Siobhain Kenny, Clinical Nurse Manager 2, Acute Navigational Hub.