Transforming Nursing with Voice ENR at St. Mary’s Hospital

Introduction to Voice ENR Technology

Can real-time voice recording for nursing documentation become a reality? St. Mary’s Hospital leads the way with the VoiceENR (Voice Electronic Nursing Record) technology. VoiceENR aims to significantly reduce the documentation burden on nurses, enhancing their working environment and the quality of care.

On August 1st, 2024, the hospital hosted a ceremony on the 16th floor, celebrating the opening of the VoiceENR pilot ward. The event featured an overview of the VoiceENR advancements and a live demonstration.

Development and Implementation

Since piloting the AI-driven VoiceENR technology in 2019, St. Mary’s Hospital has actively sought feedback from over 300 nurses. This input informed enhancements to the VoiceENR system, resulting in the advanced mobile VoiceENR technology.

During the demonstration, the hospital showcased improvements addressing noise interference with the introduction of noise-canceling features. Additionally, nurses recorded various types of nursing data to enhance the AI’s recognition capabilities.

Notably, the hospital transitioned from bulky devices to a mobile-sized PDA. This change allows nurses greater freedom of movement while capturing patient data through voice commands.

Enhancements in Patient Care

The mobile VoiceENR enables nurses to document routine patient care tasks — such as pulse, blood pressure, and temperature — through voice, even during emergencies. This real-time recording capability enhances accuracy and reduces workload.

During the demonstration, Jeon Geum-Sook, the head nurse of St. Mary’s Hospital, emphasized significant improvements in working conditions. Nurses experience decreased stress and more time to focus on patient care, leading to a rise in job satisfaction and improved patient outcomes.

The event attracted attention from professionals at Catholic Medical Center (CMC) affiliated hospitals and major university hospitals such as Samsung Medical Center. The interest reflects the potential impact of VoiceENR technology on the future of nursing.

Future Directions

In addition, PuzzleAI, a startup providing the VoiceENR technology, recently signed an MOU with Korea University Anam Hospital to develop VoiceEMR (Electronic Medical Record) capabilities.

Following the demonstration, researchers at PuzzleAI indicated that the technology could be adapted for various hospital needs, aiming to enhance the working environment and improve patient safety and healthcare quality.

Jeon emphasized that the timeliness of VoiceENR documentation minimizes errors while capturing essential nursing data. St. Mary’s Hospital aspires to expand VoiceENR applications in nursing documentation and more.

Kwon Soon-Yong, the hospital director, expressed pride in the innovations brought forth by the AI voice recognition technology in nursing. St. Mary’s Hospital is committed to improving healthcare service quality, establishing a new paradigm in patient care.