The year 2025 has long been seen by science fiction authors and filmmakers as a far-off futuristic landscape, where barely imagined technology would become commonplace. While the first quarter of the 21st century won’t deliver flying cars or ‘replicators’ there is good news: healthcare is leveraging tech like never before.

Sutter Health is part of that momentum, with several digital health investments over the past year that it believes will make the practice of medicine more connected, ease the administrative burden, and ultimately, more accessible for patients.

The healthcare organization sees tremendous opportunity for technology to make every day experiences more responsive and intuitive – as long as it’s designed with the users’ needs in mind. Fittingly, Sutter’s digital health investments are focused on the needs of its key users: patients and care teams.

In fact, Sutter has backed tech that can benefit both groups at once. Investments in generative AI and the system’s digital and virtual offerings are cutting down on computer time, putting the focus back on face-to-face care, and facilitating faster service for patients and providers alike.

“Digital tools can be a catalyst for transforming how we connect with and care for each patient,” said Laura Wilt, chief digital officer at Sutter Health. “We’re thoughtfully adopting technologies that amplify our human capabilities, to make every aspect of healthcare more seamless and personal.”

Harnessing AI to Improve Patient Care and Clinician Experience

Technology that can help save clinicians’ time while making patients feel more heard and satisfied with their healthcare experience? It sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Sutter-aligned clinicians are now using two new tools that harness the power of Artificial Intelligence or AI to reduce their administrative burden.

Augmented Response Technology, or ART, is a generative AI tool that can draft a response to patient questions received through secure message. The patient’s provider reviews and edits the draft response before sending the reply, so quality is preserved. And while not having to type out a response from scratch may seem like a small assist, it’s adding up to a 20% time-savings over the more manual way. Sutter clinicians who piloted the change noticed a reduction in cognitive load and mental fatigue too.

This year more than 900 Sutter-aligned clinicians also gained access to an AI tool that helps automate clinical documentation. In March 2024, Sutter announced its collaborating with Abridge, using their generative AI tool that can generate a draft clinical note by ambiently listening to patient-provider conversations in the exam room. The draft note flows directly into the electronic health record where the clinician can review, edit and finalize it. The change is expected to save several hours a week that each clinician would have spent on the computer, typing notes. It has also been shown to produce more detailed notes, helping patients remember and refer back to important information for their care.

“I love that patients leave with notes they can use and refer back to—it’s like giving them a guide to their care,” said Sutter Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Joel Crawford. “For me, it’s not just a huge time-saver; it also lets me be fully present and focus on the patient during our visit.”

Empowering Patients to Access Support When and Where They Need It

Just like clinicians, patients often turn to digital tools to help them with discrete tasks. With a click they want to book an appointment, look up lab results or find a doctor. Sutter’s investments in enhancing its website, My Health Online patient portal and real-time virtual chat assistant made those clicks easier to find and act on this year.

“By expanding the use of digital tools, we are creating a more seamless, personalized experience for our patients,” says Jennifer Bollinger, Sutter’s chief consumer and brand officer. “Understanding and meeting the expectations of our patients, allows us to build meaningful, connected relationships that help people get and stay well.”

In 2024 patients embraced a record number of Sutter’s self-service features, from video visits to secure messages to prescription refill requests. The video below, highlights the most popular features and how patients are enjoying a more seamless care experience.

The benefits of Sutter’s digital growth go beyond clicks. In 2024, Sutter started offering physical therapy through a hybrid virtual and in-person model in several cities, made it easier for patients to be referred in or out of the Sutter Health system for specialty care and announced a new collaboration that provides access to mental health care – including talk therapy and prescription treatment – by phone or video visit. Add these convenient care options to Sutter’s pre-existing mental health app, Scout by Sutter Health™, and online support during pregnancy, and you can see why patients who are digitally connected to a Sutter-aligned medical group are twice as likely to be satisfied with their care than those who are not.

Preview of What’s to Come: Building On Progress

In 2024, Sutter launched its first ever, systemwide innovation challenge, harnessing the creativity and expertise of its workforce. While the winner won’t be announced until 2025, many of the nearly 250 submitted ideas sought to leverage digital tools to enhance patient care and improve experiences for both patients and care teams, reflecting Sutter’s commitment to fostering meaningful innovation.

As Sutter continues to embrace innovation, advanced data and AI are transforming the care experience for patients, employees and clinicians alike. Industry-leading tools will help Sutter better understand patient needs, track trends and ensure resources are available where and when they’re needed most. These innovations will help teams streamline operations and focus on what matters most—providing the best care possible.

Looking ahead, healthcare is evolving from episodic, reactive care to continuous, proactive support, and Sutter Health is well-positioned for the shift. In the year ahead, Sutter will introduce a new digital care delivery model for managing chronic conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes. This innovative program provides personalized guidance and tools that empower patients to manage their care from anywhere, on their own schedule. Integrated digital support, combined with a dedicated care team when needed, will help ensure timely adjustments and a seamless approach to improving health outcomes.