Tackling Big Problems
Emergency department (ED) wait times are rising nationwide—the median is 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some hospital delays up to 5.5 hours. Patients have little visibility into wait times, loved ones receive little-to-no communication, and discharge instructions are often unclear – resulting in a frustrating experience that is typically a patient's very first interaction with the health system.
Dignity Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, recognized that improving the patient experience—starting in the ED—is mission-critical. They needed a digital solution to reduce patient uncertainty, deliver timely and relevant communication, and simplify the experience across the ED, in-patient, and urgent care settings—transforming confusion into clarity and an exceptional healthcare experience.
Dignity Health partnered with Vital across key touchpoints in the ED and in-patient care settings, to streamline communication, reduce uncertainty, and simplify follow-up care.
- ED patients received personalized, easy-to-understand text updates—no app download required—covering wait times, lab and imaging progress, care team details, and discharge instructions, all in their preferred language.
- Patients easily shared updates with loved ones, keeping everyone informed.
- Dignity Health saw measurable value for their system, clinicians, and patients through simplified discharge and improved care continuity.
Since partnering with Vital, Dignity Health has seen significant improvements:
- 50% improvement in patient experience
- 1% left-without-being-seen rate (down from 2%)
- 18x ROI from downstream appointment revenue
- $2.2 million increase in EBITDA margin
- 2% market share growth in key service areas
- Nearly 100% reduction in safety events
- Higher adoption than traditional patient apps (84% vs. 71% utilization) with 4.4-star average rating
Vital's ease of use was a key success driver in reducing uncertainty, improving patient satisfaction, and reducing the communication burden on clinical staff.
