About Southcoast Health
Southcoast Health is a not-for-profit community-based health system that focuses on delivering nationally recognized, locally provided care. With a network of more than 450 providers that serve more than 719,000 residents in over 33 communities across Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Southcoast’s goal has always been to deliver unmatched clinical excellence with a personal touch.
The Challenge
Recognizing that today’s healthcare consumers expect an effortless online experience, Southcoast Health sought to position themselves as market leaders by leveraging emerging technologies to provide convenient, self-service access to Southcoast physicians, hospital information, and further connect with a millennial audience’s expectation of using technology to manage their health.
Our Solution
Southcoast partnered with Loyal to implement Guide, our AI-driven chatbot to address basic questions from where to find parking or information on a community farmer’s market to more complex questions on where to find care. Before going live, Southcoast personalized the chatbot to align with their larger brand message by naming it SAM, an acronym for Simplicity and More. With a focus on the community, SAM’s launch included a full marketing campaign using a combination of billboards, press releases, and a social media introduction.
The Results
Southcoast immediately saw strong engagement and actionable insights after going live on every page of their website. In only six months SAM engaged in over 10,000 conversations. With chatbot engagement increasing 23% since implementation, SAM continues to learn and improve the accuracy of her answers. In fact, SAM currently boasts a 90% accuracy rate comparable to market-leading virtual assistants.
Southcoast’s future plans include providing consumers with more access and self-service opportunities. By integrating SAM with Epic, patients will soon be able to not only find a provider, but also schedule appointments and screenings online without having to leave the convenience of chat.
