Buoy Health, Inc. | Jan 07, 2020, 08:00 ET

BOSTONJan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Buoy Health (Buoy), the AI-powered platform for consumers that provides real-time personalized clinical support, today announced Banner Health has deployed its digital triage tool, Buoy Assistant, to equip and empower its customers as they navigate the healthcare journey.

Seventy-two percent of Americans start their healthcare journey on the internet, forcing them to become a doctor and a health benefits expert at the same time. They tend to either under-consume by delaying care (i.e. self-treating when they should seek professional help) or over-consume and go to the emergency room, adding to the staggering $32 billion  spent annually in the United States on avoidable emergency room visits.

“The Buoy platform provides a trustworthy tool for consumers to access reputable clinician-curated content and receive intelligent recommendations, ultimately removing dependencies and meaningless steps in the consumer care journey,” said Dr. Andrew Le, Chief Executive Officer & Cofounder, Buoy Health. “Buoy and Banner have a common goal of meeting consumers at the true front door of care – the moment a medical concern or question comes to mind, and the individual begins investigating. We’re proud to offer Banner customers a unique, personalized experience.”

Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the United States. The system owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner – University Medicine, academic and employed physician groups, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services.

“At Banner Health, we work to identify tools and resources to help make healthcare easier for those we serve,” said Jeff Johnson, Vice President of Innovation & Digital Business, Banner Health. “Buoy Assistant is a great example of one of those innovative solutions that we now offer our customers, providing them peace of mind and guidance as they navigate health information online.”

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