Autonomous AI could create capacity for thousands more dermatology appointments, real-world study finds

Urgent suspected skin cancer referrals in England have almost tripled since 2009, yet around only 6% result in an urgent skin cancer diagnosis.2 At the same time, approximately one in four dermatologist roles in the UK is unfilled, creating a growing imbalance between demand and specialist capacity.3

The autonomous AI-supported pathway managed 8,391 patients, representing 94% of urgent suspected skin cancer referrals across the two hospitals. Overall, 86% of patients consented to autonomous decision-making. According to the researchers, this represents the first large-scale dataset from a prospective real-world deployment of autonomous AI within a cancer pathway.

After exclusions, the AI autonomously discharged 31% and 25% of patients at the two hospitals without clinician review. Teledermatologists subsequently discharged a further 24% and 25%, respectively.

Compared with standard teledermatology, the autonomous pathway reduced the proportion of patients requiring routine follow-up from 27% to 12%. Biopsy rates were also lower at 27% compared with 43% for conventional face-to-face care.

Overall, the autonomous pathway was estimated to save 2,851 hours of clinician time compared with a traditional face-to-face pathway, representing an approximate 62% gain in clinical capacity. Based on 20-minute consultations, this was equivalent to more than 8,500 additional face-to-face appointments over the 16-month study period.

Dr Lucy Thomas, lead author, explained, "We believe the greatest value of autonomous AI lies not in the technology itself, but in the specialist capacity it unlocks. Every hour saved reviewing low-risk lesions can be reinvested in patients with skin cancer, helping them access timely treatment to improve prognosis, and in patients with severe inflammatory skin disease, where earlier access to specialist care and effective treatments can transform quality of life.”

Since inception, the rollout of the Trust’s teledermatology service has been supported by the CW Innovation programme, which is led jointly by the Trust and CW+, and looks for ideas and innovations that support the everyday care of patients.