Clinical care design drives cost savings without cutting corners
A systemwide program called clinical care design aims to reduce waste and variation across the system’s hospitals and clinics. Clinicians work alongside supply chain and contracting teams to identify unnecessary spending while protecting patient safety. Dr. Kumar, who oversees quality and safety at the network, called the effort “our north star.” The organization is on track to save more than $77 million this year through the initiative. “If we’re not able to support reductions in expense, we’re not going to be able to invest in the quality and safety,” Kumar said.
He described quality, safety, and cost as parts of one equation.
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A homegrown AI chatbot enters the patient portal
The health network built PatientGPT with a vendor partner, K Health, and embedded it inside the MyChart portal built on Epic’s electronic health record.
More than 300,000 primary care patients currently have access to the tool.
Before launch, PatientGPT went through institutional review board approval for phase one and two testing, and the system is running a defined quality study as it rolls out across Connecticut. Patients can ask general health questions, get care navigation help, or ask clinical questions through the chatbot. Premkumar, who leads digital innovation at the system, said the tool is designed to detect emergent conditions and direct patients to the emergency room rather than offering advice in those situations.
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It also avoids interactions during behavioral health crises.
All data stays inside the electronic medical record, which Premkumar emphasized is a key advantage over public chatbots that require patients to upload their own information.
Virtual primary care expands access
The organization launched HHC 24/7, a virtual primary care platform also built with K Health, more than a year ago. The platform pairs patients with human physicians or advanced practitioners. The system has conducted nearly 65,000 visits, with weekday volume running between 240 and 250 patients.
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Weekend visits average 150 to 170.
Premkumar said the service is designed as a longitudinal primary care experience rather than a one-off urgent care visit, including attention to care gaps like breast and colon cancer screening.
