Recently, we sat down with Neill Dunwoody, co-founder of a healthcare tech startup, SPYRT.
Missed medical appointments are a widespread problem that burdens healthcare systems worldwide at an estimated cost of $150 Billion a year.
Figures shared by Neill Dunwoody, co-founder of a healthcare tech startup, paint a sobering picture:
In Ireland, 1 in 5 hospital outpatient appointments are missed annually, costing the healthcare system an estimated €200 million.
An estimated 3.6 million people in the US miss scheduled doctor appointments yearly.
The UK's National Health Service loses over £1 billion yearly due to missed appointments.
The financial impact is staggering, but the human cost is even greater. Missed appointments lead to delayed diagnoses, disrupted care continuity, and poorer patient health outcomes.
Recognizing this challenge, Dunwoody's company has developed an AI-powered platform to reduce no-show rates, particularly in screening services and diagnostics. Their approach leverages the ubiquity of WhatsApp messaging to improve appointment attendance.
"We're utilizing AI and WhatsApp to engage patients, remind them of appointments, and facilitate rescheduling if needed," explains Dunwoody. "It's a user-friendly, cost-effective way to address a major healthcare issue."
The platform's capabilities extend beyond appointment reminders. Its AI system can identify urgent situations and send alerts via WhatsApp, ensuring patients receive timely care. This responsiveness is crucial in healthcare settings where delays can have severe consequences.
Dunwoody and his co-founder bootstrapped the company before securing investments to scale their solution. Their journey highlights the challenges of entrepreneurship and the potential rewards of addressing real-world problems through innovation.
As the company looks to the future, pilot programs in the US and collaborations with healthcare service bodies in Spain are on the horizon. The goal is to bring their proven approach to reducing missed appointments to healthcare providers worldwide.
In the UK and Ireland, the platform could alleviate pressures on general practitioners (GPs) who manage screening services and appointments amidst financial and operational constraints.
This startup aims to revolutionize appointment management, reduce healthcare costs, and ultimately improve patient outcomes globally by harnessing AI and ubiquitous messaging platforms.
Using AI to Reduce Missed Medical Appointments and Healthcare Costs