A new study from the University of Gothenburg has found that a software robot can detect side effects of a heart medication more quickly than doctors.
It also helps reduce the number of unnecessary lab tests, making patient monitoring more efficient.
The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, tested the robot’s ability to monitor patients taking amiodarone, a drug used to treat irregular heart rhythms.
Amiodarone, sold under the brand name Cordarone, helps regulate the heartbeat in conditions like atrial fibrillation and tachycardia. However, because it can affect thyroid and liver function, patients need regular blood tests to check for side effects.
Currently, this process is entirely manual, meaning doctors must review each patient’s results and decide when the next test should be scheduled.
How the Software Robot Works
The researchers designed a software robot that follows existing medical guidelines, but it does not use artificial intelligence (AI). Instead, it follows a set of programmed rules to check patients’ blood test results and suggest a course of action for their doctor. The process works like this:
- The robot scans a list of patients who are taking amiodarone.
- It checks their lab results using an algorithm.
- It provides a recommendation to the doctor.
- After the doctor reviews the recommendation and makes a decision, the robot updates the system and schedules the next blood test.
This method was tested alongside real patient treatments. Doctors and patients were unaware of the robot’s assessments during the trial, which allowed researchers to compare its recommendations to actual medical decisions.
Better Detection and Fewer Tests
The results were impressive. The robot’s decisions were tested in 390 situations, and it matched standard medical guidelines. While doctors typically scheduled lab tests every 3.1 months, the robot recommended a slightly longer interval of 4.5 months. This reduction in testing frequency could help lower healthcare costs without compromising patient safety.
More importantly, the robot identified 12 side effects on the first attempt, while doctors only found eight initially. The remaining cases were only detected during later follow-up tests. This suggests that the robot’s systematic approach may help identify health risks earlier, leading to better patient care.
Improving Healthcare Efficiency
The research team believes this automated system could be a reliable tool for monitoring not just amiodarone but other medications as well. Helén Sjöland, a senior cardiologist and professor at the University of Gothenburg, highlighted the benefits:
“The method reduces manual work, decreases unnecessary lab tests, and improves side effect detection. This means lower healthcare costs and better outcomes for patients,” she explained.
She also pointed out that doctors tend to be overly cautious, often ordering extra tests just to be safe. The software robot, however, strictly follows medical guidelines, avoiding unnecessary testing while still ensuring patient safety.
Implementation in Hospitals
This system has already been registered as a medical device under European Union regulations and is now being used in the Cardiology Department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.
By automating routine medical monitoring, this software robot offers a promising way to improve efficiency in healthcare. If widely adopted, it could help hospitals save time and resources while ensuring patients receive the best possible care.
If you care about heart health, please read studies that apple juice could benefit your heart health, and Yogurt may help lower the death risks in heart disease.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that Vitamin D deficiency can increase heart disease risk, and results showing Zinc and vitamin B6 linked to lower death risk in heart disease.
The research findings can be found in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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