NHS Pathways vs iatroX (2025): Triage Algorithms vs Clinical Reasoning
At a Glance
Who is it for?
iatroX:Doctors, PAs, ACPs (Clinicians).
NHS Pathways:Call Handlers & Triage Nurses.
Why choose iatroX?
- **Flexibility**: Allows the clinician to use judgment and skip irrelevant questions.
- **Depth**: Provides management advice, not just a disposition (e.g. 'Go to A&E').
- **Efficiency**: Answering a query takes seconds, not minutes.
Why choose NHS Pathways?
- **Safety**: Extremely risk-averse algorithms designed for non-clinicians.
- **Standardisation**: Ensures every caller gets the exact same assessment.
- **Integration**: The backbone of the 111/999 dispatch system.
Feature Comparison
| Capability | iatroX | NHS Pathways |
|---|---|---|
| User | - | Protocol Follower |
| Logic | - | Binary Tree (Yes/No) |
In-Depth Analysis
Overview
NHS Pathways is a "risk-management engine." It is designed to ensure that a non-clinical call handler does not miss a heart attack. It does this by asking a long series of binary questions that inevitably lead to a "disposition" (e.g., Ambulance, GP, Self-care).
iatroX is a "knowledge engine." It assumes the user is a clinician who can already rule out a heart attack, and instead helps them optimise the treatment plan or double-check a guideline.
Use-Cases
111 Call Handling
When to choose iatroX
- N/A
When to choose NHS Pathways
- **Essential.** The legal standard for telephone triage.
GP Consultation
When to choose iatroX
- **Winner.** Supports complex decision making.
When to choose NHS Pathways
- Too rigid and slow for face-to-face clinical work.