How artificial intelligence is helping patients to prepare for surgery safely and easily

Ancor Serrano

Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain

Getting ready for surgery can be a stressful experience. Many people feel nervous and uncertain as they wait, especially when faced with medical tests and questions that seem confusing or complicated. To help make this experience better, a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and engineers at Bellvitge University Hospital has developed a new AI-powered tool that helps identify surgical risks early and support patients through the steps before an operation.

The tool, called AIINANE, is designed to make pre-operative assessment more personalized and less time-consuming. The main idea behind this tool is to help patients complete all the necessary checks before surgery, such as sharing their medical history and understanding their own needs. Instead of spending a lot of time in the hospital and waiting for face-to-face meetings, patients can now use a secure webApp where they answer questions about their health. The tool gathers all this information, reviews each person's answers, and brings together important details from their electronic medical records. This way, healthcare professionals can better understand every patient and make the best decisions for their care, without missing important information.

One of the biggest benefits is that this tool helps doctors find out who might have health risks before surgery. By looking at all the information, it can flag people who need special attention and let the doctors know right away. This means that patients ready for surgery can be fast-tracked, while those who require additional care can receive it sooner and with greater attention to their needs.

The project is being piloted at Bellvitge University Hospital, one of Spain’s leading centers for high-complexity surgery, and is expected to be expanded to all outpatient procedures by 2026. It has been supported by the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the Catalan Health Institute (ICS).

In summary, AIINANE makes the steps before surgery easier, quicker, and less stressful for everyone. It gives patients the support they need, helps doctors make better decisions, and can help hospitals avoid last-minute cancellations, creating a better experience for all involved.

Automating Preoperative Assessments for Enhanced Patient Care and Healthcare Efficiency

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