Thanks to seismic market shifts and changing consumer preferences, the healthcare landscape is evolving at unprecedented speed. Non-participation is not an option–health systems of any size must adapt to keep pace with competitors. The new standard for care delivery demands high-quality and personalized experiences through technological innovation. Artificial intelligence is an essential tool for the task.
The COVID-19 pandemic provided a sudden catalyst for digital transformation in healthcare and drastically shifted consumer expectations. In the post-pandemic market, health systems now prioritize consumer experience and embrace digital technologies as fundamental components of their strategy. According to a Deloitte survey of healthcare technology leaders, insights, analytics, and virtual health services top the list of investment priorities for health systems. From 24/7 AI-powered symptom triage to streamlined patient guidance, digital solutions have the potential to revolutionize the delivery and receipt of care.
Consumers continue to expect more with each healthcare experience, and providers are grappling with how new market solutions can cater to non-loyal patients. Health systems operate in a progressively competitive environment as the supply of available healthcare services has grown. Meanwhile, consumers have adapted their lifestyles over the past three decades to a fast-paced, competitive, and accessible market. As a result, today’s healthcare consumers have a wide array of choices at their disposal, including a burgeoning array of telehealth options that can serve patients in any location.
The impact of AI in health systems
The patient care journey encompasses more than just time spent in hospitals or clinics. Health systems must consider how to guide patients before and after their medical appointments, which is precisely where AI can take the lead. AI-powered tools can be highly effective in streamlining the patient journey from the very first touchpoint, creating an outstanding user experience while driving provider revenue.
One Mediktor client, Albany Med Health System – Columbia Memorial Health (CMH), adopted the AI medical chatbot into their care flow and saw significant returns on their investment through substantial cost savings and improved clinical and administrative efficiency. CMH patients can access the AI chatbot as soon as they notice symptoms and receive immediate assistance. Automated triage assesses the condition of each individual patient and leads them through the appropriate course of action according to their urgency level, from at-home symptom management to in-person visits.
Beyond reducing administrative burdens and improving clinical efficiency, AI chatbots can provide a better and more personalized patient experience. In this same AI chatbot use case, patients gave their care experience high marks, generating a net promoter score of 72. Patients not only received prompt assistance– crucial in the competitive healthcare market–but also expressed satisfaction with the guidance provided by the AI tool.
AI also has the potential to strengthen ties between healthcare systems and the communities they serve. By integrating the AI medical chatbot, CMH provided its patients with a service they are willing to use repeatedly as a point of entry to care. Among CMH patients who used it, 40 percent used it again within the same year. Providing reliable health information and guidance on demand, both empowers patients to seek care and offers a compelling reason to stay loyal to the health system.
A new era for health systems
AI technology has emerged as a healthcare industry game-changer that could provide a much-needed competitive edge for health systems of any size. By prioritizing consumer experience and leveraging digital solutions, health systems can meet rising expectations of patients while also keeping pace with a fiercely competitive market.
AI-powered solutions provide significant financial benefits and allow health systems to prioritize patient satisfaction. As healthcare systems move forward into this new era, the integration of AI technology stands out as one of the most transformative tools for healthcare delivery in the United States and around the globe.
Cristian Pascual is Co-Founder and CEO of Mediktor. He is an entrepreneur with more than 10 years of real-life experience immersed in the Digital Health Ecosystems in US, Europe, and Latin America. He held various top management positions in large companies before founding Mediktor, the most advanced AI-based medical chatbot for triage and pre-diagnosis. Powered by a sophisticated AI engine that enables users to converse naturally in several languages, Mediktor’s white-labeled SaaS is omnichannel and can be easily embedded into any interface.
