The Ottawa Hospital tests AI-driven Digital Teamate

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) has introduced its new Digital Teammate, an innovative, AI-powered digital assistant that is designed to provide human-like interactions with staff, patients and visitors. During an initial test phase, the Digital Teammate will be able to answer questions about TOH’s new campus in French or English.

“Our goals for innovation at The Ottawa Hospital are to improve patient care, create a better experience for patients and staff and enhance value in the health system,” said Kara Kitts, director of Digital Innovation at The Ottawa Hospital. “The Digital Teammate has the potential to reduce administrative tasks for our staff and enhance the patient experience.”

The Teammate is being tested in stages, so improvements can be made before it is fully implemented. Following an interaction with the Digital Teammate, people will be invited to provide feedback about their experience, which will inform the next round of testing and project development.

The Digital Teammate was available 24/7 for two weeks outside the cafeteria at the Civic Campus, in the Critical Care Wing lobby at the General Campus, and near the main entrance at the Riverside Campus.

In the future, TOH, in collaboration with Deloitte Canada, will explore whether the Teammate can further help patients by answering questions, providing directions and sharing helpful resources.

For more information about the Digital Teammate and AI in healthcare, please visit this FAQ page.

About The Ottawa Hospital
The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals where we are guided by our vision to provide the world-class and compassionate care we would all want for our loved ones. Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted globally. Backed by generous support from the community, we are focused on reshaping the future of health care to improve the health of our diverse population of patients from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Nunavut. For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit OttawaHospital.on.ca.