Facial recognition technology for pain management is being trialled at residential and nursing homes across Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes, marking a significant development in the application of AI-powered healthcare solutions. The 12-month pilot project, launched by the Digitising Social Care (DiSC) programme team at Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System (BLMK ICS) in February 2024, aims to improve care for residents who have difficulty communicating their pain levels.
The trial uses PainChek, an AI-powered pain assessment tool that analyzes facial micro-expressions to detect and measure pain levels. The technology uses smartphone cameras to capture brief video sequences of a patient’s face and processes them through machine learning algorithms trained to recognize facial features associated with pain.
Seven care homes in central Bedfordshire are participating in the initial phase. During the first three months, 39 healthcare workers across six facilities conducted 152 assessments, identifying 124 instances of pain. The seventh care home joined the trial later and its data is still being collected.
The early results have shown promising improvements in pain management efficiency. Four participating homes reported a 55 percent reduction in pain medication usage during the first two months, suggesting more precise pain assessment and targeted treatment approaches. These findings align with some previous studies of facial recognition pain assessment tools, which have demonstrated improved accuracy compared to traditional observational methods.
“PainChek supports effective management of pain, and has been shown to improve experience of care and promote better quality of life for our residents,” said Patricia Coker, senior responsible officer on the Digitising Social Care programme and head of integration. “We were keen to assess its viability, scalability, and impact for our care providers.”
Building on this initial success, the pilot has expanded its reach. Clare Steward, Digitising Social Care Programme director, confirmed: “The pilot has now been extended across BLMK to a further 1,000 residents, and an in-depth evaluation at the end of the 12-month pilot will help us decide whether to roll it out further.”
The project received a significant boost in April 2024 when the Digitising Social Care Programme at BLMK ICS secured £1.1 million from NHS England’s Adult Social Care Technology Fund. The funding, awarded through a joint application with the University of Hertfordshire and Health Innovation East, supports both the PainChek implementation and the introduction of Robopets in care facilities.
Sources: Healthcare IT News, Nursing Times
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November 8, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy
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