A group of GPs has started using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help identify skin cancer.
Software firm Skin Analytics said First Medical had become the first GP practice in Jersey to use its DERM app to review images of moles and lesions when skin cancer was suspected.
The app’s developers said the AI had been trained on images of common cancers, pre-cancerous conditions and benign lesions with the aim of providing “faster and safer clinical decision-making” and stopping unnecessary referrals.
Dr Brendan Loane, GP partner at First Medical – which has practices in St Helier, St Peter and St Clement, said the app would benefit patients and medics.
Dr Loane said: “We’re exceptionally proud to be the first GP practice in Jersey to deliver this wonderful innovation to our patients.
“Our patients with skin lesions get the reassurance they’re looking for as early as possible.
“The doctors benefit by knowing that the worrisome skin cancer cases are identified and treated as early as possible.”
Skin Analytics said in September, more than 125 dermatology patients in Jersey were waiting on urgent medical pathways with a median wait time of seven weeks for a first appointment for a possible skin cancer diagnosis.
It added 526 patients were waiting on routine pathways with half of them waiting 16 weeks or more for a first appointment.
The firm said the use of the AI tool would aim to reduce the wait time for a diagnosis by identifying and safely discharging up to 50% of cases.
Since it was first used by NHS England in 2020, the app has assessed more than 220,000 patients and detected more than 18,000 skin cancers, Skin Analytics said.
Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
More on this storyRelated internet links