Patients waiting for cataract surgery across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are seeing significantly reduced waiting times, thanks to Dora, an AI-powered telephone assistant.
The introduction of Dora has helped to cut waiting times for low-complexity cataract surgeries from 35 weeks in January 2024 to just 10 weeks or less.
How Dora is Transforming Patient Care
Dora is an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to streamline the cataract surgery referral process. She calls patients on the waiting list, speaks in a natural voice, gathers their medical history, and provides options for treatment locations based on waiting times and distance from home.
By automating these administrative tasks, Dora has helped to free up valuable time for nursing teams, allowing them to focus on surgical care rather than scheduling and administrative duties.
A Game-Changer for Cataract Surgery in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Aris Konstantopoulos, Consultant Ophthalmologist at University Hospital Southampton and Ophthalmology Clinical Lead for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, highlighted the impact Dora has had:
“All hospitals in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have made massive strides in reducing the waits for cataract surgery in the area. Dora has enabled this by allowing us to develop a single point of access for referrals, reducing the burden of administrative processes, and providing clear options to patients.
“Using Dora has also allowed us to free up time for our nursing teams to concentrate on more surgical work while Dora makes the phone calls and completes the administrative duties.”
Since its introduction in January 2024, Dora has made over 1,200 calls to patients, significantly reducing the workload for NHS staff.
Positive Patient Feedback
Patients who have interacted with Dora have responded positively, with a survey between July and December 2024 showing that 92% of patients were extremely satisfied with the experience.
Feedback from patients includes:
- “It was very clear and efficient and prompt, and it worked very well.”
- “Very simple and straight to the point.”
- “I had no problem understanding Dora, and it answered my questions.”
Meeting the High Demand for Cataract Surgery
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight perform around 15,000 cataract surgeries each year, making it one of the busiest areas for ophthalmology care in the NHS. Nationally, ophthalmology accounts for over 500,000 operations annually, representing 6% of all NHS surgeries, and 7.5 million outpatient appointments.
With demand for eye care continuing to grow, AI solutions like Dora are playing an essential role in improving efficiency, reducing waiting times, and enhancing the patient experience.
For more information about Dora and her role in cataract surgery referrals, visit NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Cataract Services