Sword Health tackles healthcare burnout with new AI platform

Digital health platform Sword Health has already utilized AI to transform employees' access to virtual physical therapy and other pain solutions. Partnering with human clinicians, employees have access to best-in-class resources powered by technology. Now, Sword is using this same approach to support healthcare workers with their own unique needs. 

Through Sword Intelligence, the platform's new consumer-facing division, healthcare providers will gain access to AI Care Manager agents to streamline the coordination of care, reduce administrative burden and help organizations operate faster and more effectively. 

"Demand for healthcare is increasing, but the ability to serve that demand is not keeping pace," says Virgilio Bento, founder and CEO of Sword Health. "Sharing the AI agents we built for ourselves felt like the natural next step. It's a way to help others manage their patient care more efficiently, without adding more administrative burden to already-stretched teams." 

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Approximately half of all healthcare professionals are currently experiencing varying levels of burnout, according to recent data from the World Health Organization, with 66% of nurses and doctors reporting symptoms — and it's impacting their quality of life and care. Seventy-two percent of nurses reported missing necessary care tasks on their last shift due to lack of time or resources, according to the National Institutes of Health. As a result, over 90% of nurses reported an intent to leave the workforce or retire within the next five years, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 

To address these pain points and help healthcare professionals focus on their patients, Sword's AI agents will be responsible for overseeing some of the more repetitive or time‑consuming tasks healthcare professionals face every day. This includes triaging patient needs, checking eligibility, confirming appointments, coordinating follow ups and reaching out to high‑risk patients. 

It's a win-win for healthcare workers and patients alike: Staff will face less administrative burden, which will help prevent burnout, and patients will benefit from a faster response time, because AI can handle the first touch instantly.

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"AI is freeing up clinicians to focus on where they're needed most," Bento says. "For healthcare at large, this means systems can handle growing patient demand without burning out their workforce, and patients experience faster, more reliable care."  

Employers using Sword's AI agents should also see a significant increase in health outcomes from patients, too. Because professionals won't be bogged down by menial and often non-clinical obstacles, follow‑ups will also become more consistent, which means fewer patients slipping through the cracks.

In order to keep the care agent's care compliant with healthcare rules and regulations, Sword Health's team ensures that the AI meets HIPAA and Health Information Trust Alliance's standards. And while continued hesitation from benefit leaders is normal, Bento stresses the importance of thinking outside of the box when it comes to investing in solutions meant to support healthcare workers. 

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"AI's combination of operational efficiency and deep personalization is what makes the experience feel more human, not less," Bento says. "Ultimately, it creates a sustainable healthcare system where patients receive better experiences and clinicians can focus on what they do best — delivering real care."

As organizations have learned, unaddressed burnout leads to high turnover rates and low employee engagement, which could have long-term consequences for both the healthcare industry and the professionals and patients they serve. 

"Incorporating AI into these processes closes the gaps that often lead to delays or missed care," Bento says. "When teams aren't constantly stretched thin managing administrative tasks, they can spend more time listening, explaining, and engaging with the people in front of them."