Consultant physiotherapist Phil Ackerman has welcomed the introduction of an AI-powered physiotherapy clinic for patients who attend more than 100 GP practices in the NHS Lothian area.
Up to one million patients with back pain could potentially be offered access to same-day appointments via a smartphone app developed by Flok Health.
NHS Lothian-based Phil, a musculoskeletal (MSK) consultant, said: ‘AI-enabled services such as Flok have the potential to improve the patient journey for some people with back pain through providing rapid, flexible access to care. It also offers an alternative management option for those who prefer a digital approach.’
Phil added: ‘Working in partnership on this pilot with Flok and Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES) offers an outstanding and unique opportunity to explore how Flok’s digital back pain service can be integrated within our range of healthcare services.’
Care Quality Commission approval
The clinic was created by physiotherapist and AI experts based in Cambridge and is the first digital MSK clinic to have been approved by the Care Quality Commission. The new service has been deployed as a collaboration between NHS Lothian, Flok Health, and the Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES) Hub.
Created using video footage of a human physiotherapist, Flok Health’s digital clinic offers personalised treatments at population scale, in settings that feels like a structured responsive video call with a physiotherapist.
Every patient (100 per cent) who took in recent NHS trials of Flok Health said their experience with the AI physiotherapist had either been ‘better’ or ‘the same as’ what they would expect from a human physiotherapist. More than four in five (86 per cent) reported that their symptoms had improved during treatment with Flok.
In the NHS Lothian pilot, patients who are registered with one of the 126 GP practices in NHS Lothian can now self-refer directly to Flok’s digital MSK clinic via existing self-referral portals or can be referred by participating GP practices.
Patients using will be able to access a physiotherapy appointment via the Flok app that same day. By linking with other NHS services in the region, patients and clinicians can access ‘joined up care, according to Flok.
How does the AI physiotherapy service work?
- When patients self-refer or are referred to Flok Health, they receive an invitation to complete an automated video call assessment via their mobile phone immediately.
- During the consultation, an AI-powered physiotherapist will evaluate their symptoms and determine whether the AI clinic can safely provide the right treatment for their needs.
- If approved for digital treatment, the patient will have access to weekly video appointments with the AI physiotherapist, at a time that suits them, via a smartphone app. There is no waiting list and so patients can start treatment immediately.
- Some patients with more complex initial symptoms will receive an additional assessment via a telehealth appointment with a member of Flok’s clinical team, before being approved for treatment or triaged to the most appropriate alternative NHS service.
- Patients who are approved to begin treatment with Flok will have round-the-clock access to appointments with an AI physiotherapist who prescribes exercises and pain management techniques, and responds to information patients are providing in real time. The technology means every patient gets a totally individualised experience and care pathway based on their feedback, symptoms, and progress.
Nurse reported ‘unbelievable results’
The clinic is currently available to assess and treat patients across the Lothian region for back pain, with plans to extend the service to provide care for additional MSK conditions at population scale. Edinburgh-based nurse Jaclyn Ryan, who had experienced ‘excruciating back pain’ ‘due to a herniated disc pressing on a sciatic nerve’, said: ‘The pain has been so severe that I’ve had to take time off work and couldn’t sleep at night, despite being on high dose pain medication to cope. The pain and lack of sleep left me completely zombified. I saw an occupational therapist and paid for private physiotherapy, but unfortunately these interventions actually worsened the pain to an unbearable degree.
Jaclyn added: ‘On a recent GP visit, my GP suggested I try Flok. The results have been unbelievable. The sessions were tailored specifically to the areas where I was finding pain, whereas with traditional physiotherapy I felt that I was being given a one-size-fits-all set of exercises that didn’t work for me at all. After using Flok for just three weeks I could feel my back release and the pain lessen. I’m now back at work and I’m taking fewer painkillers.’
New approaches needed to tackle ‘growing’ waiting lists
Finn Stevenson, Flok Health’s chief executive and co-founder, said: ‘We’re delighted to be working with NHS Lothian and HISES to make AI physiotherapy directly available to NHS patients for the very first time. Finding new ways to deliver care at population scale and empower patients with choice has never been more important, with physiotherapy wait lists growing and services facing record patient demand.’
For more information, visit: https://flok.health/
