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Emirates Health Services is on a mission to improve outpatient appointment management, and is doing so in part by developing advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to provide real-time footstep analysis called the “Footstep Insights Solution.”
The development of this software was spurred by the need to address several challenges in outpatient appointment management, which included prolonged patient wait times, high rates of no-shows, resource allocations and a lack of streamlined patient flow.
Dr. Sara AlShaya, director of the data and statistics department at EHS, will speak about the software’s development during a session called “Footstep Insights: A Healthcare Analytics Solution for Optimizing Outpatient Care” on Tuesday, March 4 at 1:45 p.m. in Venetian, Level 5, Palazzo O at the HIMSS25 Global Conference in Las Vegas.
AlShaya cited a quantitative data analysis showing extended waiting periods for both nurses and physicians, particularly during peak hours. This, she said, leads to decreased productivity and patient dissatisfaction, and the feedback highlighted frustrations among both patients and healthcare professionals over inefficient scheduling and overcrowding.
That’s where Footstep Insights comes in, leveraging AI and real-time footstep analysis to optimize resource allocation, reduce waiting times and enhance patient experiences.
“This initiative aimed to drive operational efficiency improvements through data-driven decision-making, ultimately contributing to better patient outcomes and overall healthcare delivery,” said AlShaya.
Development of the initiative followed a structured process, beginning with assessment and planning with a thorough evaluation of existing outpatient appointment management processes. Stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and data scientists, identified key pain points such as long wait times, resource utilization and inefficient patient flow.
Measurable goals and outcome KPIs were defined, data pipelines were established between the EHR and analytics platform, and the data was cleansed for storage in EHS’ data marts. Pilot models helped to refine the design.
AlShaya said AI played a key role, “especially to capture and analyze real-time footstep data, allowing healthcare facilities to gain insights into patient movement, appointment flow and bottlenecks.
“The models also predict patient volumes during peak hours, enabling proactive resource allocation to minimize overcrowding and under-staffing issues,” she said.
Footstep Insights has resulted in significant enhancements to operational efficiency and reductions in wait times, which in turn has led to tangible benefits, including cost savings, increased productivity and better patient satisfaction, said AlShaya.
“The project’s use of advanced analytics positions EHS as a potential role model for technology-driven healthcare improvements,” she said. “Additionally, the system’s adaptability offers pathways for integrating future AI models and more sophisticated predictive tools, making it an evolving framework capable of supporting long-term strategic healthcare goals.”
AlShaya said she hopes attendees gain a deeper understanding of how data-driven solutions can transform outpatient care through the use of advanced analytics and AI.
“By the end of the session, they should feel inspired and equipped to advocate for and apply innovative technologies to drive continuous improvements in healthcare service delivery,” she said.
Dr. Sara AlShaya of Emirates Health Services will speak at the session “Footstep Insights: A Healthcare Analytics Solution for Optimizing Outpatient Care” on Tuesday, March 4 at 1:45 p.m. in Venetian, Level 5, Palazzo O at the HIMSS25 Global Conference in Las Vegas.
Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.
