In an era marked by inflation, talent shortages, and supply chain challenges, healthcare decision-makers must stretch their budgets more efficiently than ever. These pressures are driving some health system leaders to innovate with artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive modeling, particularly in emergency medical services.
Larry Richardson, Chief Business Officer at AmeriPro Health, a 911 EMS and medical transportation provider, highlights the pivotal role AI plays in enhancing hospital operations. AmeriPro, operational in nine states and doubling in size annually since its 2018 launch, leverages AI to optimize patient throughput and pre-hospital advanced treatment. “We’re a data company that happens to run ambulances,” says Richardson, emphasizing the importance of data in their operations.
One hospital partner faced typical issues such as overcrowding and bottlenecks, which were exacerbated by a lack of real-time data. Richardson explained that ambulances often queued for hours due to bed shortages, impeding their ability to respond to other emergencies. Addressing these issues, AmeriPro implemented an AI platform to predict patient flow, equipment demand, and peak utilization times, thus easing the burden on healthcare staff and improving patient outcomes. “It was a perfect storm of cascading events hampering daily operations and threatening to restrain long-term growth prospects,” Richardson noted.
AmeriPro’s AI-driven approach aligns hospital operations with predictive insights, reducing average length of stay and expediting patient discharges. The platform creates and refines predictive models, enabling decision-makers to foresee and mitigate bottlenecks. By extracting and analyzing real-time and historical data, the AI system provides actionable insights within minutes, ensuring patients receive timely care.
The program’s success led to its expansion across the hospital network, significantly increasing patient admissions and optimizing ambulance response times. By integrating AI with the hospital’s EHR system, AmeriPro enhances operational efficiency, demonstrating that in healthcare, strategic use of AI can transform patient care and resource management. For example, EMS staff used the data to recommend changes in discharge procedures, including the establishment of a discharge lounge to manage patient transfers more efficiently. This initiative alone has drastically reduced ambulance response times, with most discharges now completed by 10:30 a.m., compared to late afternoon previously.
Within months of implementing the AI program, AmeriPro shaved a full day off the hospital’s average length of stay, enabling 4,700 additional admissions annually across the network. This optimization also allowed ambulances to be more readily available, improving community healthcare access. «Our technology is helping us significantly optimize our resources to our maximum potential,» Richardson said, highlighting the broader impact of AI on patient flow and emergency response capabilities.
As the AI system continues to evolve, AmeriPro aims to further refine their predictive models, ensuring even greater efficiency and responsiveness in patient care. This forward-thinking approach not only enhances hospital operations but also sets a new standard for leveraging technology in healthcare logistics.
Article written by Bill Siwicki
19/07/2024
Source:
Healthcare IT News
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ems-provider-cuts-day-hospital-length-stay-help-ai