Q&A: How predictive analytics and AI can help providers triage

As the delta variant continues to drive COVID-19 infections, some hospitals are being overwhelmed with patient surges as they try to balance virus cases with incoming emergencies and other care.

Kristin Molina, business leader for patient engagement and healthcare analytics at Philips, sat down with MobiHealthNews to discuss how predictive analytics and artificial intelligence can help providers manage triage and patient flow, especially during times of crisis. The interview was edited for clarity and length.

MobiHealthNews: Why are patient flow and triage good places to use predictive analytics and AI?

Kristin Molina: What we see is hospitals more and more are needing to do more with less. And especially with what we've seen with the rise of the pandemic and overcrowding, that it's not just about adding more beds or staff or other resources.

But it's really about how to optimize and give the best care to each patient in the right care setting – and being able to anticipate and predict increases in demand, and that you can have the staff and resources available as you anticipate peaks in demand.

If you don't expect to have that demand, you're not having extra resources or staff around when it's not needed. But of course, with COVID and all that, it just seems to be a peak on peak, sadly.