Uniting NSW.ACT, a leading provider of residential and community care, has developed an innovative solution to reduce the administrative burden on its frontline care workers. By leveraging the power of generative AI, they have created the 'Buddy' application, which streamlines essential tasks and provides mobile access to critical enterprise systems. This cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing the way care workers manage their daily responsibilities, ultimately improving the quality of care they provide.
But here's where it gets controversial... Some might argue that AI should not replace human workers, but rather augment their capabilities. However, Uniting's approach demonstrates how technology can be used to enhance, rather than replace, human interaction. By taking away mundane, time-consuming tasks, Buddy allows care workers to focus on what they do best: providing compassionate and personalized care.
The Buddy application, built with the Azure OpenAI Service, is designed to simplify administrative tasks for care workers. It enables them to record in-home visits, access internal policy information, and even interact with Uniting's intranet and enterprise systems, all from their mobile devices. This eliminates the need for employees to travel to a company center, saving valuable time and effort.
Speaking at the Gartner IT Symposium, Uniting's Chief Information Officer, Andrew Dome, emphasized the impact of Buddy on employee productivity. He stated that the application removes 15-to-20-minute transactions, transforming them into one-to-two-minute activities. This translates to an additional 15 minutes in a care worker's day, which can be spent providing quality care to clients.
Uniting's journey with Buddy began last year when they were approached by Microsoft, seeking care providers ready to embrace generative AI. With their stable foundational platforms, Uniting was able to innovate and create something truly remarkable. Over 12 months, they developed Buddy with Microsoft partner HSO, who built the enterprise infrastructure and architecture on Azure.
The first genAI case study focused on improving employees' access to Uniting's policies and procedures. By using a chatbot interface, workers can easily find relevant information, along with scenario-based instructions. Additionally, the app offers voice-to-text transcription of case notes from home visits, further streamlining the process.
Eleanor Dickinson, a guest at the Gartner IT Symposium, witnessed the transformative power of Buddy. She observed how the application empowers care workers, allowing them to spend more time with clients and provide high-quality care. With Buddy, Uniting is setting a new standard for efficient and effective care delivery, while also fostering a more engaged and satisfied workforce.
