Doccla AI monitoring reduces NHS bed days and costs

Doccla, a provider of virtual wards and remote patient monitoring, reported that its AI-driven programme has reduced NHS bed days by 61%, cut GP appointments by 89% and lowered non-elective admissions by 39% in trusts using the system. The company estimates the model saves about £450 per day compared with the cost of an inpatient hospital bed.

The service combines clinical-grade wearable devices and patients’ medical records. The platform collects measures such as oxygen saturation, blood pressure and ECG readings and feeds those continuous streams of data into predictive models. Doccla says the software is designed to support earlier discharge and to prevent avoidable admissions, particularly for patients with long-term conditions.

Company figures indicate that each pound spent on the technology generates about £3 in savings compared with non-technology care models. Doccla reports its platform is in use across NHS trusts in England as part of efforts to shift more care into community settings under the NHS Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England.

Doccla’s CEO, Macdonnell, commented: “At Doccla, we use machine learning to identify patients at risk of deterioration before they reach crisis point. Continuous data from clinical-grade wearables like oxygen saturation, blood pressure and ECGs are analysed with medical records to detect early warning signs.” He added the system lets clinical teams intervene sooner and manage larger caseloads than traditional methods.

The company also says it is applying large language models to reduce clinicians’ administrative burden by streamlining clinical notes and presenting clinical information to patients in clearer language.

Clinical acceptance of AI tools remains cautious. Clinicians and regulators have called for transparency and robust evidence before wider rollout. Experts have highlighted the need for predictive models to show accurate and fair performance across diverse patient groups and for safeguards to prevent unequal outcomes.

NHS officials have said AI is intended to augment clinical care rather than replace clinicians. Doccla and independent evaluators will need to produce longer-term data and external assessments to confirm the reported clinical benefits and savings before the technology is adopted at larger scale across the health service.