Stay up to date on the latest in health tech, digital health and health AI news with this weekly brief. This is news from the week of May 25 to May 29.
Tanner Health, Worki partner to deploy AI workforce solution
Healthcare workforce infrastructure company Worki announced Thursday a partnership with Tanner Health to deploy its Career Amplifier solution, which provides AI-enabled career guidance for frontline workers.
Worki’s Career Amplifier uses AI-enabled intake, drafts session preparation materials and generates follow-up plans that are reviewed and approved by counselors. The tool is also designed to “support employee evolution as AI changes how work gets done,” according to Worki, through continuous skill profile updates, learning resources and more.
The deployment is the first live implementation of Worki’s AI Workforce Unifying Infrastructure.
“Healthcare organizations are sitting on untapped workforce potential — the real challenge is orchestrating it,” said Craig Allan Ahrens, Worki CEO and co-founder, in a statement. “Career Amplifier shows what AI Workforce Unifying Infrastructure looks like in practice. It makes workforce data visible and actionable; deploys AI agents around HR and workforce tasks that support frontline worker engagement, efficiency and retention; and helps every employee evolve as AI changes how work gets done.”
Philips, Disney partner on themed MRI machines for pediatric patients
Medical facilities in 87 countries worldwide will now have Philips Ambient Experience magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines with Disney animated characters and stories through a newly announced partnership.
Sixty-one percent of pediatric patients report feeling anxious during MRI scans, which can lead to re-scans, longer procedures and sedation, according to a May 28 press release. In a study across six European hospitals, researchers found post-scan pediatric patient stress levels were reduced by 43% following use of the Ambient Experience machines with Disney themes.
“By bringing Disney stories into the MRI environment, we are helping create a setting where children can feel more at ease and remain still during scans,” said Atul Gupta, M.D., Chief Philips chief medical officer of diagnosis and treatment, in a statement. “Reducing stress can improve the experience for young patients and their families, while helping care teams deliver efficient, high-quality imaging so they can care for more children each day, supporting better care for more people.”
The platform is available in pilot hospitals across Europe and other hospitals, including Orange County, Calif.-based Rady Children’s Health.
Read the full story in Fierce Pharma Marketing.
Oura launches ‘world’s smallest smart ring,’ partners with Counsel Health
Smart ring maker Oura announced Thursday the launch of Oura Ring 5, which it dubs as the “smallest smart ring in the world,” alongside a slew of new health insight capabilities.
With Oura Ring 5, users can access new activity tracking, proactive health, connected health, metabolic health and more services. Oura’s new Health Radar, built on the 2024 Symptom Radar, continuously monitors biometric signals.
The company is also partnering with Counsel Health to bring artificial intelligence-powered care directly into the app. It will be available to members in 43 U.S. states to start, according to the announcement.
The new ring will begin shipping June 4 and will be priced at $499 for premium finishes and $399 for base finishes.
“Oura Ring 5 is a big step toward our vision of giving every body a voice,” said Tom Hale, Oura CEO, in a statement. “By reimagining Oura Ring 5 to be smaller, easier to wear, and pairing it with our most advanced software yet, we’re making it possible for many more people to wear Oura every day—and to benefit from the personalized, predictive health insights that come with it.”
Reimagine Care, Moffitt Cancer Center expand AI-powered virtual oncology model
Reimagine Care and Moffitt Cancer Center are expanding an AI-enabled virtual oncology care program with Moffitt Cancer Center, following successful early outcomes observed in an initial implementation phase.
The model expands cancer care beyond scheduled visits through continuous support by Remi, Reimagine’s AI assistant, and a virtual oncology care team, according to the May 21 announcement.
During the initial implementation, the model recorded nearly 7,000 patient interactions and 97% of which were independently resolved without escalation to providers. Moreover, 94% of symptom management situations were resolved virtually and only 2.4% of interactions resulted in emergency department referrals.
“Our focus is on delivering high-quality cancer care throughout the patient journey,” said Tim Hembree, Ph.D., Moffitt Cancer Center vice president and chief quality officer, in a statement. “This approach allows care teams to maintain visibility into patients’ needs between visits, respond earlier when issues arise and provide more consistent support.”
The next phase of the partnership will expand the virtual care model to allow more patients access across additional Moffitt sites.