#United States #Switchboard MD #Patient Communication #Monticello #Kirby Medical Center

Enhancing Patient Communication: The Partnership of Kirby Medical Center and Switchboard, MD

A New Era for Patient Communication

In a significant step towards improving healthcare delivery, Kirby Medical Center, recognized nationwide as a critical access hospital, has entered into a partnership with Switchboard, MD. Based in Piatt County, Illinois, Kirby Medical Center aims to modernize and streamline its patient communication workflows. This collaboration seeks to enhance access to care, bolster operational excellence, and ensure seamless care coordination.

The Need for Automation

Mark Fred, the COO and CIO of Kirby Medical Center, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating, "In the critical access hospital world, teams are accustomed to wearing many hats." This means that healthcare professionals at Kirby often juggle multiple responsibilities while attempting to deliver optimal patient care. The necessity for a system that minimizes administrative burdens while preserving high standards of care has never been greater.

Kirby Medical Center has realized that by harnessing the power of automation, especially in areas like patient communication, it can significantly reduce unnecessary manual efforts. This will free up talented healthcare staff to focus more on patient care rather than administrative tasks.

Innovative Solutions from Switchboard, MD

Earlier this year, Kirby Medical Center explored the capabilities of Switchboard, MD’s Contact Center solution, focusing on prescription refill processes. Through this initiative, the center examined how artificial intelligence could alleviate routine workloads by using AI voice agents for call handling. The initial evaluation showcased the potential to shorten response times, minimize repetitive calls, and properly assess clinical urgency in patient requests.

Automating Patient Communication

Under the terms of their new partnership, Kirby Medical Center will implement Switchboard, MD's advanced platform aimed at improving how patients communicate with healthcare providers. The solution features conversational AI technology coupled with efficient multi-agent orchestration. This blend of features enables the system to guide callers, appropriately route requests, and allow for self-service options pertaining to routine needs like appointment scheduling.

Moreover, its capabilities extend to functionalities such as automatic scheduling for frequent visit types, sending appointment reminders, and providing wayfinding assistance—all while ensuring that the standard of care at Kirby remains uncompromised.

Commitment to Excellence

The collaboration with Switchboard, MD further reflects Kirby Medical Center’s unwavering dedication to enhancing patient experiences, which has garnered the institution numerous accolades, including multiple Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Awards. It has also been recognized by the National Rural Health Association as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital for Patient Satisfaction and was identified by Modern Healthcare as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare.

Ankit Tiwari, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Switchboard, MD, expressed admiration for Kirby’s commitment, stating, "The past several months collaborating with Kirby have shown us how extraordinary their team truly is." He conveyed a shared mission of prioritizing patient care, which promises to make this partnership particularly impactful.

Future Goals

As this partnership advances, both Kirby Medical Center and Switchboard, MD are committed to enhancing throughput, unlocking additional staff capacity, and establishing sustainable automation that align with Kirby’s mission. By placing the patient experience as the central focus, this collaboration aims to reshape the future of healthcare communication.

About Kirby Medical Center

Founded in 1941, Kirby Medical Center is an independent, not-for-profit hospital located in Monticello, Illinois. Serving Piatt County and surrounding regions, the center is dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare services to all individuals in need.

About Switchboard, MD

Switchboard, MD is a leader in artificial intelligence-driven solutions tailored for healthcare settings. With a focus on prioritizing human connection in medicine, the company's platform enhances patient engagement and care outcomes while simultaneously reducing operational inefficiencies and staff burnout.