#United States #Tampa #Tampa General Hospital #Hyro #AI Agents

Transforming Patient Communication at Tampa General Hospital

In a groundbreaking move towards modernizing healthcare communication, Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has entered a partnership with Hyro, a leading provider of responsible AI agents. This collaboration marks a significant leap in improving patient engagement and operational efficiency within TGH, one of Florida's premier health systems.

Enhance Patient Experience and Operational Efficiency

The collaboration aims to revolutionize TGH’s call center operations by integrating Hyro’s AI capabilities. This includes automating various administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, managing prescriptions, handling billing inquiries, and providing support for the MyChart platform, essentially streamlining multiple processes within the hospital's experience center. As a result, TGH is establishing a new benchmark for patient experience not just in Florida but throughout the Southeast region.

Remarkable Results in a Short Span

TGH’s decision to collaborate with Hyro stems from the latter's specialized focus on healthcare and its ability to seamlessly integrate with existing technologies like the Epic EHR system. After just two weeks post-implementation, TGH reported a remarkable 21% increase in appointments scheduled. The hospital also achieved its lowest recorded call abandonment rate, dropping from 34% to 14.9%, while average wait times were cut down by a staggering 58%, falling from 6.2 minutes to 2.4 minutes. These results highlight the efficiency Hyro's voice AI agents have brought, effectively guiding patients to the appropriate services and minimizing common bottlenecks throughout their care journeys.

A Patient-Centric Approach

Scott Arnold, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at TGH, emphasized the hospital's commitment to reimagining the patient experience. With every call and message being treated as a vital opportunity to enhance accessibility and personalize care, Arnold stated, “By partnering with Hyro, we’ve been able to leverage the power of responsible AI agents to meet patients where they are...and provide them with faster, more intuitive access to services.” This perspective highlights a broader aim of the collaboration: to restore the human connection in healthcare, even as automation takes on more routine tasks.

Strategic Collaboration for Lasting Impact

The initial phase of the rollout saw significant focus on appointment management and the ability to transfer calls contextually. Future plans include expanding the use of AI in specialty-specific scheduling, showing a proactive approach towards continually improving patient care and operational effectiveness. The deployment was completed in just three months, a swift achievement that underscores the efficiency of the collaboration between Hyro and TGH.

Israel Krush, CEO and Co-Founder of Hyro, remarked on the partnership's quick success, noting that it demonstrates the potential for responsible AI to deliver rapid benefits in the healthcare sector. He noted that this innovative alignment shows how effectively a clear objective and agile technology can work together, bringing real value within just weeks.

Leading the Charge in AI-Driven Healthcare

Hyro continues to establish itself as a leader in AI-powered patient communications, now supporting more than 40 health systems with its platform. Reports indicate returns on AI investment ranging from 5-11 times, affirming its place in the market as an essential tool for healthcare providers looking to optimize patient communications. The company plans to expand its suite of services further to include proactive outreach and workflow automation throughout the entire patient lifecycle.

About Tampa General Hospital and Hyro

Tampa General Hospital is a 1,529-bed, not-for-profit academic health system, recognized as one of the largest and most advanced in the United States. It has been awarded numerous accolades for its high-quality care and innovative approaches, which include operating the region's only Level 1 trauma center.

On the other hand, Hyro emphasizes its commitment to safe and effective communication automation in healthcare, helping numerous systems improve their workflows and patient interactions meaningfully.

In conclusion, the partnership between Tampa General Hospital and Hyro represents a forward-thinking approach aimed at leveraging technology to significantly enhance patient care and operational efficiency. With sustained efforts in AI integration, both organizations are setting a strong precedent in healthcare innovation.