Get the latest news in health technology, digital health and health AI with this weekly overview. News for the week from May 18th to May 22nd.
Hyro and Five9 partner to accelerate agent healthcare AI integration
Agentic AI healthcare platform Hyro announced a partnership with Five9 to integrate native AI agents within Five9’s intelligent cloud contact center.
This partnership establishes Hyro as the only Five9 certified healthcare-specific vendor to date. This will allow healthcare organizations to “seamlessly automate complex patient interactions at scale” and reduce integration time, the companies said in a May 20 press release.
“Five9’s goal is to provide organizations with the most intelligent CX solution available, and AI Agent Connect allows us to do just that,” said Jess Shea, Senior Partner Manager at Five9. “As our first healthcare-focused certified vendor, Hyro brings immense special value to our mutual clients. Healthcare systems no longer have to compromise between a robust contact center platform and industry-specific agent AI. This partnership will make it incredibly easy and fast for healthcare organizations to deploy AI agents built specifically for their needs.”
Garner Health Technology and Atlantic Health partner to improve affordability and access to care
Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health has partnered with Garner Health Technology to connect patients to higher-quality care at lower costs.
Through this partnership, Garner will help employees at participating employers “more easily find” Atlantic Health clinicians. Atlantic then uses Garner’s data to inform quality improvement efforts.
According to a May 19 press release, Garner’s data includes more than 60 billion medical records from 320 million patients.
“At Atlantic Health, we are committed to delivering better outcomes at lower costs,” Saad Etisham, president and CEO of Atlantic Health, said in a statement. “As a leader in value-based care through accountable care organizations, exciting partnerships like the one we announced today with Garner Corporation demonstrate our challenge to lead the nation in bending the cost curve for patients and their families.”
Prime Healthcare selects Collette Health for virtual sitting technology
Prime Healthcare has entered into a strategic partnership with Colette Health to expand virtual sitting technology across its nonprofit system to improve patient safety.
A pilot of Colette’s technology at Prime’s Paradise Valley Hospital, based in National City, Calif., saw an 84% reduction in patient falls in the medical-surgical unit, spurring the partnership. The 55-hospital health system also plans to expand from virtual observations to a comprehensive virtual nursing program.
Colette Health CEO Holly Miller said in a May 19 announcement that the partnership “exemplifies how virtual observation can serve as a strategic foundation for comprehensive virtual care transformation.”
“Prime Healthcare’s commitment to expand this proven technology across its network demonstrates the power of a value-based entry point approach. Starting with the success of virtual observations, we will build out a complete virtual nursing capability that enables additional use cases as we scale,” said Miller. “When healthcare leaders see measurable safety improvements and cost savings, they gain confidence to expand virtual care across the enterprise.”
According to the announcement, Collette Health has partnered with more than 185 hospitals across the United States and realized savings of $3.96 billion.
CVS Health whitepaper explores the digital health needs of Medicare members
More than 7 in 10 Medicare members report feeling confused or uncertain when using online health information, according to a new white paper from CVS Health.
This study (PDF) elicited insights from Medicare-eligible consumers through surveys, interviews, and ethnographic research.
71% of respondents said they would like to use more digital healthcare tools, and 86% said they would like to use them. However, 58% of respondents said low digital health literacy is negatively impacting their ability to manage their health.
“We care for the nation’s fastest-growing and clinically most complex population, but our findings challenge common assumptions. Older adults are actually more open to interacting with technology than many people think,” Aetna senior vice president and CMO Benjamin Kornitzer, M.D., said in a statement. “This creates a real opportunity to meet them where they are and provide them with day-to-day support, such as managing medications, following up after visits, and treating chronic conditions. Technology and engagement can help them live healthier and more independent lives.”
As a result, CVS said it is applying insights from the survey across its digital products, including clearer navigation, stronger accessibility features, and increased privacy and security transparency.
