How AI can disrupt the health care space

Problem Context

ACE Health is a nursing company responsible for providing at-home care for patients through a dedicated team of nurses. These nurses typically make 5–8 visits per day, each visit presenting unique challenges. The nature of their work is demanding—not only are they caring for patients, but they must also document each visit in detail to comply with legal requirements and ensure relevant patient information is accurately recorded.

However, finding time to take detailed notes during or after visits was a significant challenge. Nurses often found themselves at the end of a long day, struggling to recall specifics, leading to incomplete or rushed documentation. ACE Health recognized the need for a software solution that could empower its nurses and physicians to efficiently document their visits, minimize cognitive load, and ultimately improve the quality of care provided to patients.

The Process

Our goal was to design a solution that would integrate seamlessly into the nurses’ workflow, making documentation as effortless and effective as possible while leveraging AI to enhance the experience.

Understanding the Nurses’ Journey

We started with a series of workshops and interviews to deeply understand the day-to-day journey of ACE Health nurses:

• Mapped out their workflows to pinpoint natural downtime opportunities for note-taking.

• Focused on minimizing the disruption to their daily schedules.

• Prioritized a solution that would allow them to document their visits quickly, accurately, and without adding to their workload.

This research revealed that most nurses preferred creating notes immediately after a visit, during short breaks or while transitioning between appointments, rather than at the end of the day when details might become harder to recall.

Designing an AI-Powered Solution

With these insights, we developed a software platform tailored to the nurses’ needs. Key features included:

• Flexible Documentation Tools: Nurses could document visits through text or audio, allowing them to record their observations in whichever format felt most natural. This was particularly useful during short breaks when typing might be inconvenient.

• LLM Integration for Enhanced Support: The software incorporated a large language model (LLM) that:

  • Analyzed Existing Notes: Provided context-aware suggestions to improve note accuracy and completeness.

  • Generated Visit Guidelines: Based on previous notes and patient history, the LLM offered tailored recommendations for upcoming visits, helping nurses prepare efficiently.

• Streamlined Compliance Checks: The software ensured that all notes met the required legal standards by flagging missing details or inconsistencies.

Iterative Development and Testing

We worked closely with ACE Health’s team to prototype and test the software:

• Gathered feedback from nurses to refine the interface and ensure usability in fast-paced environments.

• Conducted stress tests to confirm the reliability of the LLM’s outputs and the software’s performance under real-world conditions.

The final product became a powerful ally for nurses, enabling them to effortlessly create high-quality documentation while staying focused on patient care.

Conclusion and Learnings

The ACE Health project demonstrated the transformative potential of AI-driven tools in healthcare settings. The final product not only simplified the nurses’ day-to-day tasks but also elevated the overall quality of patient care. Key takeaways included:

Empathy-Driven Design

By closely studying the nurses’ workflows, we identified natural opportunities for documentation that minimized disruption and maximized efficiency.

The Role of AI in Enhancing Care

Integrating an LLM provided nurses with actionable insights, helping them stay organized and better prepared for future visits. The AI acted as a supportive assistant, alleviating the cognitive burden of documentation.

The Value of Streamlined Compliance

The software’s ability to ensure that notes met legal and professional standards reduced stress for nurses while protecting the company from potential compliance risks.

Collaboration is Key

Co-designing the solution with input from ACE Health’s nurses and physicians ensured the final product met their real-world needs, resulting in widespread adoption and improved satisfaction.