In 2019, Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center piloted ambient AI technology, but the initial rollout did not go as planned. After transitioning to a new ambient AI tool, the health system is now experiencing higher adoption rates.
“We were early adopters of a different ambient technology back in 2019, but it didn’t go as well as we had hoped,” Briana Rygg, chief applications officer and associate vice president of information solutions and services at the health system, told Becker’s. “We struggled to scale because we were trying to prove ROI, and the cost was exorbitant—especially at that time. Ultimately, we just couldn’t demonstrate the ROI, which made it difficult to move forward.”
This prompted Rush to start over. Rather than abandon the initiative, the health system returned to the market to explore alternative tools. That search led to Suki, a software developer offering an AI-powered voice assistant.
“It just felt right,” Ms. Rygg said. “They were very easy to work with from a security and privacy standpoint—they checked all the boxes. Ultimately, it was a combination of factors that led us to choose them for our trial, including the opportunity to co-develop various solutions, which we’re still exploring. Additionally, knowing we have clinical partners to help drive progress ensures we don’t repeat past mistakes.”
Suki, which integrates into Rush’s Epic EHR system and helps clinicians by automating tasks such as documentation, coding suggestions, patient summaries and real-time Q&A, began being piloted at the health system in 2024.
“We’ve seen really great results,” Ms. Rygg said. “Adoption was high, and the anecdotal feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive.”
Initially, Rush invited clinicians who were interested in providing feedback. Participation remained stagnant at a few hundred users until the health system adopted a grassroots approach. By engaging willing participants directly, Rush saw momentum build. According to Ms. Rygg, physicians are now championing the tool, acting as super users and generating excitement among their peers.
“They’re telling their peers, ‘Hey, this saves me two hours of charting,’ or ‘I’m closing my charts faster,'” she said.
Other improvements since the rollout include faster chart closures, less time spent on documentation, a reduction in “pajama time” (after-hours charting at home) and the ability to create more complex notes with greater efficiency.
“Early data suggests strong positive trends. A few years ago, the focus was entirely on ROI—what’s the return, what are we getting out of this? But now, we’re seeing a different kind of return,” Ms. Rygg said. “This tool has even kept some physicians from retiring because it reduces their cognitive burden. The impact is personal to each user, but across the board, it’s making a real difference.”
The health system is now deploying Suki across 28 specialties.
“We’re in the process of rolling this out now, with new waves launching every month for the next six months,” Ms. Rygg said. “We’ve put a lot of thought into our deployment strategy—assessing who is struggling, where the biggest opportunities are, and who is ready to adopt, all while considering other ongoing initiatives.”
