If artificial intelligence in healthcare brings to mind visions of robot surgeons, BioIntellisense's stick-on sensor is bound to be a disappointment. Just 3 inches wide by 1 inch tall, this plastic and metal double hexagon was cleared last month by the US Food and Drug Administration for remote monitoring of vital signs with medical-grade accuracy. Doctors at UCHealth, which runs 12 Colorado hospitals, say the device will let them send patients home earlier while still monitoring their respiratory rate, resting heart rate, skin temperature and even body position. The data can then be fed into computers that use machine learning to spot people who might need more attention, allowing early intervention and avoiding emergency hospital visits. UCHealth has already used computer surveillance to fight sepsis, a potentially fatal complication from infection, on its wards.

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 30: UCHealth registered nurse Karen Nerger administers a dose of the ... [ ] Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a mass COVID-19 vaccination event on January 30, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. UCHealth, Colorado's largest healthcare provider, plans to vaccinate 10,000 seniors over 70 during the drive-up event this weekend. The rapid development of the vaccines from companies like Pfizer and Moderna certainly represent amazing achievements. But unfortunately, the rollout of the vaccines has been far from encouraging. The fact is that the U.S. healthcare supply chain is extremely complex and not particularly amenable to quick distribution at scale.

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 30: UCHealth registered nurse Karen Nerger administers a dose of the ... [ ] Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a mass COVID-19 vaccination event on January 30, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. UCHealth, Colorado's largest healthcare provider, plans to vaccinate 10,000 seniors over 70 during the drive-up event this weekend. The rapid development of the vaccines from companies like Pfizer and Moderna certainly represent amazing achievements. But unfortunately, the rollout of the vaccines has been far from encouraging. The fact is that the U.S. healthcare supply chain is extremely complex and not particularly amenable to quick distribution at scale.

But advances in natural language processing, or NLP, a branch of artificial intelligence that allows computers to understand spoken or typed remarks, are prompting healthcare organizations to leverage that field. In areas such as voice-activated assistants and speech recognition platforms, NLP is creating better experiences by expanding patient access to information, cutting transcription costs and delays, and improving the quality of health records. Providers also report the tools can lower stress and allow more face time during appointments. That's because speech offers unique distinction. "It's more detailed and nuanced, and it's the more natural way to convey what you're thinking," says Dr. Genevieve Melton-Meaux, a professor of surgery and health informatics at the University of Minnesota.

Conversational AI technology continues to improve as we move "beyond the screen," and the changes in human-computer interaction will be immense and transformative. Healthcare is an industry that can be transformed from the bottom up as a result of this technology. I believe the impact of conversational AI will be felt most in the area of virtual care. Just as retail moved from brick-and-mortar stores a few decades ago, healthcare is having its moment with AI technologies ushering in a new age where virtual patient care -- from appointment scheduling to urgent care direction and medication management -- is possible using virtual care tools based on conversational AI. UCHealth, nonprofit health system based in Aurora, Colorado, and Avaamo client, is a good example of where the industry is headed.

A wobbly leg emerges from under a blanket and makes a tentative search for the polished floor below. The movement catches the eye of Lupita Rodriguez, who's responsible for keeping this patient safe. Rodriguez leans forward to talk to her patient, who immediately stops at the sound of the authoritative voice. Please call your nurse before you get up. Mrs. Smith, a bit confused and definitely unsteady on her feet amid her hospital stay, nods and sits back.