Providence Develops New AI Tool in Just 18 Days to Enhance Patient Message Responses

Providence, a multi-state healthcare network, has implemented an innovative AI tool called Provaria to prioritize and respond to incoming messages from patients. This tool helps to ensure that messages from patients with urgent needs, such as mental health crises, are addressed promptly. Additionally, Provaria provides resources for medical assistants to help them craft appropriate replies, such as suggesting referrals or asking about red flags that indicate a more urgent situation. The goal of Provaria is to provide improved patient care and reduce the time spent on administrative tasks by healthcare providers and medical assistants.

The rollout of Provaria has been successful, with thousands of messages reviewed and categorized so far. Early research suggests that the tool has helped to significantly reduce response times, with a subset of employees in Southwest Washington reporting a 50% reduction in median turnaround time after implementing Provaria. Dr. Ford Parsons, Providence’s chief operations analytics, highlights the positive impact of the tool on patient care and administrative efficiency.

Providence’s development of Provaria was a quick process, taking less than three weeks to create the resource after Microsoft rolled out the Azure OpenAI Service in 2023. The tool underwent rigorous testing and evaluation within the Providence network before being implemented system-wide. Provaria is currently available to primary care providers in seven states where Providence serves patients, including Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, and Texas. The healthcare network has no plans to commercialize the tool, but instead aims to expand its use to pediatricians and continue building resources for suggested responses.

The responsible use of AI technology is a priority for Providence, with a focus on empowering caregivers to focus on their core responsibilities. The AI tools used by Providence are reviewed by a team of experts, including clinicians, ethicists, and spiritual care providers, to ensure their safety and efficacy. The healthcare network is committed to utilizing AI in a way that benefits patients and supports healthcare providers in delivering the best possible care.

In conclusion, Providence’s implementation of the Provaria AI tool represents a significant advancement in healthcare communication and administrative efficiency. By streamlining the process of prioritizing and responding to patient messages, Provaria helps to ensure that patients with urgent needs receive prompt attention. The success of Provaria in reducing response times and improving patient care highlights the potential of AI technology to enhance the delivery of healthcare services. Providence’s commitment to responsible AI use and continuous improvement demonstrates their dedication to providing high-quality care to patients across multiple states.