Fort Myers, Florida, Aug. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Fort Myers, Fla. – August 09, 2024) --- In an era with technological advancements reshaping industries worldwide, Lee Health, the healthcare provider of choice for Southwest Florida, is leading the charge to prioritize the integration of cutting-edge technologies to enhance patient care.
Lee Health recognizes the profound impact that technology and innovation can have on patient outcomes and is committed to using this technology to empower patients, improve treatment outcomes, and streamline the way care is delivered.
Lee Health has been honored with the inaugural Pinnacle of EHR Experience Award from the KLAS Arch Collaborative, recognizing our health system's efforts to enhance the electronic health record (EHR) experience for physicians. The award places Lee Health among an elite group of only 10 organizations nationwide, including Kaiser Permanente and Johns Hopkins, to receive this honor.
The Arch Collaborative, a KLAS Research initiative, involves hundreds of healthcare organizations dedicated to improving the EHR experience through standardized surveys and benchmarking to uncover best practices for reducing burnout, increasing efficiency and accuracy, and ultimately improving patient care.
In addition to the national recognition for supporting physicians, the incorporation of leading artificial intelligence (AI) technology across Lee Health allows for patients to see continued enhancements throughout their wellness experience from visiting their doctor’s office to inpatient care.
Enhancing patient doctor communications
AI clinical documentation revolutionizes the way healthcare providers capture and listen to patient needs, enabling more efficient and accurate documentation processes and facilitating more one-on-one communication with the patient and provider. By leveraging an AI advanced platform called Abridge, Lee Health empowers physicians to focus on delivering personalized care to each individual patient with attentiveness and full concentration, ensuring comprehensive and timely clinical documentation, and ultimately enhancing communication. Abridge supports over 50 specialties and 14 languages. It is also embedded into the electronic health record to provide ease of communication among care teams to further improve the overall quality of patient care. Lee Health launched the program earlier this year and expanded quickly from offices to pilot programs in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Departments.
Predicting Patient Needs
A number of AI integrations utilize predictive analytics to improve care for individual patients by identifying risk factors early and notify caretakers of high risks. The system weighs patient’s historical incidents and current health to determine risks for issues like sepsis. Within an hour of admission to the Emergency Department, a patient’s care team can track and predict risks for injuries, infections, and health concerns in addition to their current treatment. The additional tracking and information not only helps the medical experts but also the patient to understand the risks and impact of the care.
Finding Cancer Faster
With further innovation and patient-centered care in mind, Lee Health has introduced GI Genius for colonoscopies. The groundbreaking tool enhances the detection of colorectal abnormalities to detect colon cancer sooner. By incorporating advanced artificial intelligence technology, GI Genius assists gastroenterologists in identifying and removing potentially cancerous growths, helping to increase early detection rates and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer for patients. The technology acts as a second set of eyes to see any potential polyps or lesions and alert the medical care team to address them immediately for the best outcomes. Early detection increases the survival rate of colon cancer.
Early Detection of Heart Conditions
Last year, Lee Health also added AI-supported heart scans into its cardiac care services, offering precise imaging technology for early detection and diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions before patients are even showing symptoms. The addition of the Cleery heart scans gives Lee Health the ability to provide proactive and personalized cardiac care, identifying current issues surrounding a patient’s cardiovascular health and offering a predictive measure for future concerns. Findings can be addressed and monitored earlier than ever before thanks to the microscopic perspective offered by the AI integration of the heart scan.
"We continue to further our mission to provide exceptional care to our patients while supporting the efforts of our dedicated healthcare professionals,” Chief Digital Health Executive Bill Carracino said. "These innovative technologies represent a significant focus in our ongoing commitment to providing the highest standard of care for our patients every day with the most advanced opportunities to support health and wellness. We are revolutionizing healthcare delivery and enhancing patient outcomes across Southwest Florida."
Lee Health's adoption of these innovative technologies underscores its commitment to leveraging the latest advancements to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care of the highest quality, further solidifying its position as a leader in healthcare and healthcare innovation in Southwest Florida.
To learn more about how Lee Health is using innovative technology to improve patient care, please visit www.leehealth.org.
