Griffin Health Transforms Patient Follow-Up with AI Innovation
Griffin Hospital: A Healthcare Anchor in Connecticut
Griffin Health, centered around Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut, stands as a pivotal 160-bed acute care community hospital. It efficiently serves over 130,000 residents of the Lower Naugatuck Valley Region, proving to be a beacon of health support in an evolving medical landscape.
Identifying the Challenge: Timely Patient Care
Like many healthcare systems, Griffin Health faced a pressing challenge: ensuring patients received timely follow-up after imaging studies revealed significant findings. “Explicit and incidental radiology findings often signal the earliest stages of disease, but across the industry, about 50% of additional imaging that’s recommended does not get performed,” stated Todd Liu, Griffin Health’s Executive Vice President and COO.
Breaking Down the Hurdles
The root causes of this issue were diverse. “Inconsistent handoffs, lack of centralized tracking, poor communication, and gaps between radiology and primary or specialty care teams all contributed,” Liu noted. The existing manual systems for notifying providers proved insufficient in managing follow-ups, leading to potential safety concerns for patients.
Addressing the Safety Concerns
Griffin Health’s care navigators made every effort to ensure patients completed follow-up imaging studies, but the manual processes could not adequately support this crucial task. “We needed a solution that would help close this loop,” Liu expressed, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach.
The Inflo Health Proposal: A Technological Solution
Enter Inflo Health, a vendor specializing in follow-up care technology. They proposed leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance Griffin Health’s operational efficiency. This technology aimed to automatically identify radiology reports requiring follow-up, streamline them into care coordination workflows, and address compliance and patient safety concerns without overburdening staff.
How AI Can Transform Follow-Up Care
“The platform would identify open recommendations for additional imaging studies in real-time and allocate each patient to a predefined care pathway for follow-up,” Liu elaborated. This innovative approach would not merely flag at-risk patients but actively nudge both patients and providers toward appropriate actions.
Integrating the Technology Seamlessly
What made Inflo’s technology particularly compelling was its adaptability. “The system was designed to integrate into our existing processes, enhancing our internal capacity to track findings,” Liu remarked, stressing that this integration was crucial for the successful implementation of AI.
Operationalizing the Challenge
The introduction of Inflo technology allowed Griffin Health to analyze radiology reports meticulously, searching for significant findings like lung nodules. Patients identified were organized into specific workflows to ensure timely follow-up based on their unique needs.
Monitoring Patient Engagement
“The platform not only automated provider outreach to confirm orders but also tracked patient engagement,” Liu explained. In doing so, care coordinators were empowered with a centralized dashboard to monitor follow-ups, identifying any gaps in care.
Measuring the Impact: Results
The implementation of this AI-driven system yielded impressive outcomes. The closure rate of follow-up actions improved by 50%, a significant leap that means more patients are receiving necessary care, thus reducing the chances of them falling through the cracks.
Insights into Follow-Up Completion
Moreover, the follow-up completion rate among flagged patients increased by 17%, indicating a meaningful uptick in timely patient care. “In some cases, it’s the difference between catching a disease early and missing a critical window for intervention,” Liu pointed out.
Identifying New Opportunities for Care
The AI capabilities further allowed the health system to enroll 18 patients into the lung cancer screening program, individuals who might not have been engaged otherwise. “These are real lives potentially extended or saved because an AI system surfaced the right data at the right time,” he reflected.
Advice for Other Healthcare Systems
Liu emphasizes clarity in problem-solving. “Be clear about what problem you’re trying to solve—and what success looks like,” he advises. By establishing actionable goals, health systems can ensure their technology serves its intended purpose.
Integrating with Care Teams
He also highlights the importance of collaboration within care teams. “Don’t underestimate working with providers to carefully integrate new tools into existing workflows," Liu warned, recognizing how critical effective use of technology is for impacting care delivery positively.
Choosing the Right Tools
When selecting technology solutions, it is vital to find platforms capable of working alongside existing teams. Liu reminds us, “Good technology should support processes and workflows, not dictate how care is delivered.”
The Future of Healthcare: AI Integration
As health systems move into an increasingly digital future, integrating AI and technology remains essential. This approach allows organizations like Griffin Health to maintain their commitment to patient safety while improving operational efficiencies.
Conclusion: The Path Forward
Griffin Health’s journey illustrates a significant shift in how healthcare organizations can leverage technology to enhance patient outcomes. By addressing long-standing challenges with innovative solutions—like AI—health systems can close the loop on follow-up care, ensuring that patients receive the timely attention they need, ultimately improving their overall health outcomes.
