Geisinger COVID-19 Chatbox

Geisinger Health Plan developed a chatbot to help triage and screen patients remotely. In addition, it’s setting up video chat capabilities for admitted patients allowing them to contact their families at home.

Geisinger Health Plan serves more than 3 million patients in 45 counties in Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Geisinger’s CIO, John Kravitz, said his team was moving at “lightning speed” to keep things moving. “We’ve never experienced anything like this,” Kravitz told the publication. “You get things done, you plan on the fly.” 

One way Kravitz and his team are addressing the rush is by creating new applications weeding out patients who don’t need to come to the emergency department.

The health system has developed a chatbot to help triage and screen patients remotely. In addition, it’s setting up video chat capabilities for admitted patients allowing them to contact their families at home, which helps to minimize person-to-person contact.