Hartford HealthCare Signs Google Cloud Partnership

Hartford HealthCare is taking a major step in the company’s digital transformation with the announcement of a new five-year partnership with Google Cloud.

Hartford HealthCare officials announced Nov. 17 that it will be moving its data to Google Cloud’s Healthcare Data Engine and leveraging Google’s Contact Center AI for digital patient engagement. 

Google’s HDE uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to better structure health data and patient records. 

In addition to the move, Hartford HealthCare president and CEO Jeffrey Flaks said the two companies are investing and collaborating on a healthcare accelerator that focuses on digital health. 

“Ultimately, we are going to create IP that we can prove here in Hartford HealthCare in Connecticut and it will be applied across the world as we look to solve the most crucial issue in healthcare—which is connecting physicians and providers with patients to accelerate care and provide coordinated care that can be safer and of higher quality,” Flaks said. 

Google Cloud global director for healthcare strategy and solutions Aashima Gupta said the partnership will unlock the true power of interoperable longitudinal patient records.

“It is our shared vision to work together to identify the talents, tools, technologies, and solutions that are needed to deliver a new paradigm of health and wellness delivery,” Gupta said. 

Transformation 

The move to the cloud is expected to save Hartford HealthCare $4 million annually, which will be reinvested in efforts to improve access to care. 

In a demonstration during the announcement, leaders showed how a patient could connect with a doctor and make an appointment near their home through a Google chat. 

Overall, officials said the new platforms and collaboration will enable more personalized patient experiences by anticipating patients’ needs, and allow staff to better assist patients with data-driven insights and tools with relevant information. 

“With Google Cloud’s technology, Hartford HealthCare will adopt better digital solutions that make care accessible for all,” Flaks said.