Novant unveils new online tools, including a doctor match that works like a dating app
Novant Health announced the launch of a new digital platform this week, calling the tools a “one-stop shop” for patients looking for medical answers and support.
The platform, called Novant Health Now, offers an artificial intelligence virtual assistant chatbot and a physician matcher tool. The tools are available online at NovantHealth.org/NOW.
The Novant Health chatbot, an automated response program, is similar to artificial intelligence technology rolled out at other major companies, including Charlotte-based Bank of America’s chatbot “Erica,” unveiled in 2016.
“Everyone is looking for an easy button,” Novant Health chief marketing officer Tammy Jones told the Observer. The new tools aim to “eliminate any barriers” for busy patients needing health care attention, she said.
And they are available to everyone, not just Novant Health patients.
The new physician matcher program operates like a dating app, according to the health system, and can help patients find an expert based on personal preferences, like years of experience, spoken language and the provider’s gender.
The tool gives patients a curated list of their best matches, Jones said.
The virtual assistant tool can help patients find medical answers without calling in or making an appointment. It launched with a pilot program in October, facilitating 20,000 separate conversations in that pilot
The chatbot can help patients find information on COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, schedule telehealth and physical appointments, and answer frequently asked questions.
The online platform also offers on-demand video care, providing access to 24/7 medical help.
The new programs, for instance, could help busy parents who need immediate help without making an appointment at a doctors office, Jones said
The online transformation in health care has been coming for many years, Jones said. And Novant has been investing in digital tools for years, but the coronavirus pandemic has sped up that transformation, she said.
Between March 2020 and mid-December 2021, Novant Health had facilitated more than 1.1 million virtual visits, according to the hospital system.
“(The pandemic has) shined a light on the great work that our frontline doctors and caregivers do,” Jones said. “It also shined a light on the importance of that relationship (between patients and doctors).”
Evolving programs
And the online tools will continue to update.
After the initial launch, the health system plans to update its physician matcher program, adding more personal preferences, including bed side manner and experience with LGBTQ patients.
That’s incredibly important for LGBTQ patients, Novant Health LGBTQ advisory council member Kayla Lisenby-Denson told the Observer.
“LGBTQ folks just have a lot of challenges and obstacles to face when accessing health care,” Lisenby-Denson said. And it’s scary to walk into a doctors office and not know how they will react to your identity, they said.
“To have this (tool) built into the system … it really creates a much more accessible pathway to care for marginalized folks and LGBTQ folks,” Lisenby-Denson said.
Other hospital announcements
The digital platform announcement comes amid other physical expansions for Novant Health in recent months.
Earlier this month, Novant announced plans to build a $169 million tower at its Matthews Medical Center, adding 150,000 square feet to the facility.
And in October, Novant announced it had broken ground on a children’s emergency department in Huntersville, a $2.4 million project made possible with contributions from NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr.
Meanwhile, competitor Atrium Health moves forward with its Charlotte four-year medical school and “innovation district” surrounding the school. The innovation district will include new parking lots, retail stores, research buildings and residential units in Charlotte’s midtown area.
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