AI Voice Agents Transform Patient Experience at Tampa General Hospital

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has successfully implemented artificial intelligence (AI) voice agents in its contact center, resulting in significant improvements in patient communication and operational efficiency. The initiative, a collaboration with healthcare AI startup Hyro, has led to faster response times, lower call abandonment rates, and streamlined appointment scheduling within just three months of deployment.

Rapid Implementation and Immediate Results

TGH partnered with Hyro to address critical pain points in its call center operations. Scott Arnold, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at TGH, emphasized the urgency of the project, stating, "This was one of those places that hurt the most. Our team is hurting really bad on answering calls and getting patients to the right place."

The implementation process was notably swift:

• Contract signed before July 4, 2025
• Digital host "Amy" operational by late September
• Nearly half a million calls answered by Amy since deployment

Within two weeks of the initial go-live date, TGH reported:

• 21% increase in appointments scheduled
• 56% reduction in daily call abandonment rate (from 34% to 14.9%)
• 58% reduction in average wait times (from 6.2 minutes to 2.4 minutes)

AI Integration and Future Expansion

The AI voice agent, named "Amy," was integrated into TGH's existing technology infrastructure, including:

• Epic electronic health record system
• Multiple telephony/CCaaS providers

TGH selected Hyro for its healthcare-exclusive focus and strong interoperability capabilities. The initial rollout focused on appointment management and contextual transfer capabilities, with plans to expand into specialty-specific scheduling use cases.

Israel Krush, CEO and co-founder of Hyro, commented on the partnership: "Together, we deployed production-grade AI agents in record time, proving that responsible AI doesn't have to be slow or experimental, it can move as fast as healthcare needs it to."

Broader Impact on Healthcare AI Adoption

The success at TGH highlights a growing trend in the healthcare industry:

• Health systems are increasingly exploring agentic AI for operational improvements
• Call centers are seen as "low hanging fruit" for testing conversational AI
• Rapid implementation and measurable results are driving adoption

Hyro, founded in 2018, recently announced a $45 million fundraise backed by notable investors including One Medical's Amir Dan Rubin and ServiceNow Ventures. The startup now works with over 40 health systems, including Inova Health, Baptist Health, and Sutter Health.

As healthcare organizations continue to invest in AI technologies, the TGH-Hyro collaboration serves as a compelling case study for the potential of AI to enhance patient experience and operational efficiency in healthcare settings.