Orbita has introduced OrbitaASSIST, a voice-enabled, AI-driven bedside virtual health assistant, thus offering an alternative or adjunct to traditional nurse call systems.

Using a smart speaker configured with OrbitaASSIST, the patient can say things like “tell the nurse I need a pillow,” or “tell the nurse I’ve fallen.” Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning operate on the backend to triage, prioritize, and intelligently route requests to appropriate care team members who view requests on mobile, tablet, or desktop devices. The patient hears a natural language response such as “someone will bring you a pillow soon,” or “we’ve raised an alarm with the nurse.”

Leading OrbitaASSIST initiatives is Nick White, who was recently named Orbita’s Executive Vice President of Patient Care Solutions. White complements the Orbita team with deep expertise in helping transform operations via technology following a nearly two-decade career with Deloitte Consulting in Australia, the UK, and Southeast Asia.

According to White, in the solution’s first 18 months of pilot operation including use at Sydney, Australia-based Prince of Wales Hospital, more than 8,000 patient requests were made. “The earliest adopters of this advanced bedside communication solution also saw a reduction in falls and other hospital acquired complications,” he added.