Development and Implementation of Novel Virtual Triage and Exploration of Attitudes Towards the Potential Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Dietetic Pathway.

Background: Dietary management is integral to the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathway. Triage facilitates the decision‐making process for the right dietetic intervention; however, telephone triage is time intensive. Digital advances provide an opportunity to target waiting times and clinical capa...

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Publicado en:Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 1 - 14
Autores principales: Stennett, Emma, Belogianni, Katerina, Lomer, Miranda
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Feb2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Feb2026
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
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        atl: Development and Implementation of Novel Virtual Triage and Exploration of Attitudes Towards the Potential Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Dietetic Pathway.
      aug:
        au:
          Stennett, Emma
          Belogianni, Katerina
          Lomer, Miranda
        affil: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
      sug:
        subj:
          Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet Therapy
          Artificial Intelligence Utilization
          Dietetics
          Triage
          Telehealth Utilization
          Attitude of Health Personnel Evaluation
          Dietitians Psychosocial Factors
          Implementation Science
          Patient Attitudes Evaluation
          Questionnaires Evaluation
          Instrument Construction
          Automation
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Aged
          Funding Source
          Decision Making, Clinical
          Health Services Accessibility
          Waiting Lists
          Patient-Reported Outcomes
          Semi-Structured Interview
          Health Care Delivery
          Colonoscopy
          Organizational Efficiency
          Appointments and Schedules
          Confidence
          Electronic Health Records
          Stress, Occupational Prevention and Control
          Severity of Illness
          Adaptation, Psychological
          Focus Groups
          Food Intake
          Survey Research
          Telephone
          Malnutrition
          United Kingdom
          Meals
          Empathy
          Patient Participation
          Quality Assurance
          Quality of Health Care
          Clinical Governance
          Thematic Analysis
          Hospitals, Urban
          Academic Medical Centers
          Referral and Consultation
          Purposive Sample
          Feces Analysis
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          T-Tests
          Scales
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Dietary management is integral to the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathway. Triage facilitates the decision‐making process for the right dietetic intervention; however, telephone triage is time intensive. Digital advances provide an opportunity to target waiting times and clinical capacity. The aim of this work was to develop and implement a novel semi‐automation virtual triage, assess its impact in the IBS pathway and to investigate attitudes towards the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in triage and dietetic healthcare. Methods: The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) provided a structure to develop and implement virtual triage into the IBS pathway. A digital triage questionnaire was developed using experience‐based co‐design. The efficacy of virtual triage was compared with telephone triage for waiting times from referral to triage, clinicians' time taken to triage and clinical capacity. Using qualitative interviews, views on AI in virtual triage and the IBS pathway were collected from three patients and two dietitians who had experience of the newly developed virtual triage process. An exploratory survey in seven gastroenterology dietitians was used to assess attitudes and experiences of AI in clinical practice. Results: A digital questionnaire was developed and embedded into the IBS pathway for virtual triage. Following implementation, 643 patients received virtual triage with 83% completing the digital questionnaire. From telephone triage to virtual triage, mean waiting times reduced from 56.6 days to 17.5 days, mean clinician time to triage decreased from 20 min/patient to 11 min/patient, and clinical capacity increased from 400 to 1000 appointments/year (all p < 0.001). Views on AI in healthcare were mixed, and three key themes emerged: potential benefits; concerns about its use and criteria for application. Conclusions: Virtual triage increases clinical capacity and reduces waiting times without increasing clinician burden. Attitudes towards AI show interest; however, there is a need for validation to determine confidence and acceptability for both clinicians and patients in terms of problem‐solving and healthcare efficiency. Summary: Digital transformation of the triage clinic increased clinical capacity, decreased waiting times from referral to triage and reduced clinician time spent on triage.Experience‐based co‐design of service development was vital to ensure innovation is accessible and acceptable for patients.Patients and staff attitudes towards AI use in healthcare were generally positive but understandably tentative; however, with a robust testing and validation process it could be a highly beneficial tool to improve patient care.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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