Recipient organisationNIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Sustainable Innovation
NIHR supportRecorded as supported by this research centre
PeriodFeb 2025 — Ongoing
In plain English
AI plain-English summary
Every year, 15.5 million people in the UK with chronic pain receive prescriptions that carry a 22% error rate in GP consultations and an 8% rate of serious medication-related problems. This matters because the NHS spends £10 billion annually on pain management, and current systems lack real-time safety checks. SMEDEx Pain is an AI-powered software platform that analyses patient data and medication histories to flag risks, provide personalised recommendations, and reduce errors before they reach patients. It acts as an intelligent assistant for healthcare professionals in GP surgeries, pain clinics, hospital outpatient departments, and community pharmacies. If successful, SMEDEx Pain could lower the frequency of GP visits for pain management, reduce prescription costs without compromising care quality, and help clinicians select safer, more effective treatments. The system is designed to provide early warnings of potential medication issues, supporting safer and more efficient pain management while reducing the burden on healthcare systems. This is a practical, applied tool aimed at immediate clinical deployment rather than fundamental science.
View original technical description
AI-Powered Pain Medication Safety Platform - SMEDEx Pain SMEDEx Pain is a cutting-edge AI-powered software designed to support healthcare professionals in making safer, more informed decisions regarding pain medication. By analysing patient data and medication histories, it acts as an intelligent assistant, providing real-time safety checks, identifying risks early, and offering personalised recommendations. This advanced system helps reduce medication errors, improve patient outcomes, and optimise treatment effectiveness. With chronic pain affecting 15.5 million people in the UK and costing the NHS £10 billion annually, safe pain medication management is a critical issue. Current challenges, including a 22% error rate in GP consultations and an 8% rate of serious medication-related problems, make the need for a solution like SMEDEx Pain urgent. By addressing these issues, SMEDEx Pain aims to transform the way pain is managed, providing real-time, patient-specific guidance to improve safety and care. Purpose and Clinical Need: SMEDEx Pain aims to: Reduce medication errors by detecting potential risks early. Lower GP visits for pain management by streamlining treatment decisions. Assist healthcare professionals in selecting the safest and most effective pain medications. Reduce prescription costs while maintaining high-quality care. The system is designed to provide early warnings of potential medication issues, supporting safer and more efficient pain management while reducing the burden on healthcare systems. Main Objectives: Minimise medication-related problems by identifying risks early. Lower the frequency of GP visits related to pain management. Assist healthcare professionals in selecting the safest, most effective pain treatments. Reduce prescription costs without compromising care quality. Care Setting: GP surgeries, Pain management clinics, Hospital outpatient departments, Community pharmacies Eligible Population: Adults (18+) with chronic pain conditions such as: Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, Fibromyalgia, mChronic migraine
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