PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Medical alert devices have come a long way from the days of those "I’ve fallen and I can’t get up" infomercials.
Now, a Montgomery County company has built artificial intelligence into its medical alert service — putting AI directly into the hands of patients who otherwise might not be apt to use it.
"This population loves texting, and this is really an extension of that kind of communication that they’ve become quite familiar with," says Janet Dillione, CEO of Connect America.
The Bala Cynwyd-based company has an AI chat assistant called Esper.
Patients can text "I need a ride to the doctor’s tomorrow" and Esper knows which appointment, where to book the car and even remembers if the person uses a walker or needs a specially-equipped vehicle.
And the conversation goes both ways: Esper will reach out to the patient to help providers monitor health trends.
"They have to take their blood pressure, take their pulse ox, get on a scale," Dillione says. "We saw adoption rise from maybe 40 percent up to 72-74 percent when Esper is touching them on the shoulder, saying, ‘hey, please remember: take your blood pressure today.'"
She says health providers appreciate Esper for those data points: more readings can mean more personalized, more effective care plans for patients.
And if necessary, Esper will escalate the chat to an actual human.
The AI chat function is also an important part of the company’s Fall Prevention Program. Esper pushes surveys, assessments, and educational materials to patients; when combined with analytics and support services, Connect America says the technology can help identify and predict people most at risk and minimize potential falls and injuries.
You can hear more about artificial intelligence, its impact on our lives — and on society. Listen Thursday at 7 p.m. to our Audacy Conversation, "Artificial Revolution: Is The Future Automation?"
