Jagboi

Absolutely. There is no need to reduce an idea to practice or prove it works to obtain a patent. Generally speaking, it is coming up with the idea that is the inventive act, not actually building an apparatus or carrying out a process. Suppose I come up with a better mousetrap and then direct an apprentice in my workshop to build it. The inventive step is mine in coming up with the idea, not the apprentice building it under my directions. The "Ah ha!" moment is the inventive step.

Broadly, patents generally fall into 2 categories: apparatus, and methods of doing something or performing a process. It sounds like the idea here is a method of doing something, which is patentable.