Colombia transforms surgery in Latin America with voice assistants and artificial intelligence

• The Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC) has established itself as the first hospital in Latin America to implement voice assistants, specifically Amazon Alexa, in operating rooms. Through MiCirugía, a tool developed by the hospital's Artificial Intelligence Center, key surgical processes—such as precise time tracking—have been automated, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and accuracy at every stage.

• MiCirugía also includes interactive screens in waiting areas, allowing families to monitor the status and progress of surgeries in real-time. This tool promotes transparency and enhances communication, reducing uncertainty and offering families a clearer, more informed experience.

• The HIC integrates advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, into four strategic areas: patient safety, clinical decision support, operational efficiency, and administrative processes. These initiatives aim to build a more proactive and predictive care model, with significant impacts on clinical outcomes and hospital management.

Bucaramanga, Colombia, November 2024. The Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC) has set a milestone in Latin America by incorporating voice assistants, specifically Amazon Alexa, into surgical procedures. With the development of MiCirugía, an innovative tool created by the hospital's Artificial Intelligence Center, the institution has revolutionized surgical management by optimizing time, automating processes, and enhancing the experience for both medical staff and patients' families.

"We have no record of Alexa systems or Amazon devices being implemented in operating rooms elsewhere in Latin America, making us pioneers in this field," explains engineer Andrés Mora Gómez, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center at HIC.

MiCirugía is designed to precisely track seven key moments during surgery: from the patient's entry into the operating room and the anesthesia process to the surgical procedure itself, the patient's exit, and the room's cleaning. "The system's main utility is ensuring these records are completed automatically through voice commands such as, 'Alexa, ask MiCirugía to admit a patient,' guaranteeing that all information is stored in real-time," Mora elaborates.

Robust technology that transforms the patient and family experience

The design of MiCirugía ensures that all key surgical procedure information is managed securely and accessibly, thanks to its integration with local databases and the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This model ensures that each stage of the process is documented with precision, contributing to reliable and effective data management.

Inside the operating room, the technology leverages Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure to process data in real-time. Alexa devices, using voice commands, facilitate the tracking of each surgical phase, from the patient's preparation to their recovery. This approach not only accelerates workflows but also enables the medical team to focus on providing closer, more direct care by reducing interruptions associated with data management.

Dr. María Carolina Aguirre Navas, Director of Medical Informatics at HIC, highlights how this system has transformed operational efficiency:
"The automated process eliminates unnecessary time that medical professionals previously had to dedicate to manual record-keeping, allowing us to redirect those resources to patient care. Additionally, this technology streamlines transitions between surgeries, optimizes operating room times, and helps us detect potential risks during procedures more effectively."

A precise and secure surgical workflow

As described in an article by engineer Andrés Mora titled Voice-activated surgery: MiCirugía's impact on Latin America's medical landscape with Alexa integration, MiCirugía automates essential steps of the surgical workflow to ensure accuracy and efficiency at every stage.

The process begins with patient registration, where medical staff use the MiCirugía skill to log the admission via the patient's wristband identifier. Alexa checks whether the patient has an active surgery and confirms the last name before logging the start time. This session is then linked to the specific Alexa device in the operating room, ensuring precise control from the outset.

During the anesthesia and surgical procedure stages, the skill allows staff to log times while continuously updating the system's database. Additionally, the system includes validation alerts to prevent duplicate entries, ensuring data consistency and accuracy.

The workflow concludes with surgical session closure, which logs the final stages, such as the patient's discharge or the operating room's cleaning. This enables medical staff to review or correct times, if needed, via the EHR system.

Transparency and confidence for families

Beyond the operating room, MiCirugía also redefines the experience for patients and their families. An interactive dashboard, developed in Power BI and accessible in waiting areas, organizes and displays surgical progress in real-time across three stages: preoperative, intraoperative, and recovery. Families can stay informed with clear, accessible updates, reducing uncertainty and building confidence in the surgical process.

"This level of transparency not only alleviates families' concerns but also reinforces their trust in the surgical process," explains Mora. By combining technical precision with effective communication, MiCirugía enhances hospital operations while humanizing the medical experience.

The future of technological innovation at HIC

The HIC has not only achieved significant advancements with MiCirugía but is also shaping a future vision aimed at transforming healthcare through disruptive tools. According to engineer Mora Gómez, "The implementation of technologies like artificial intelligence propels the HIC to consolidate itself as a highly digital institution, supported by solutions that facilitate informed medical decision-making and elevate clinical outcome standards."

This technological transformation is built around four strategic pillars: patient safety, clinical decision support, operational efficiency, and administrative processes. Each of these areas strengthens the institution's core operations, advancing toward a more proactive, predictive, and personalized care model.

Current challenges and future developments

The HIC acknowledges the complexities of pioneering the use of voice assistants like Alexa in surgical procedures. One challenge is overcoming the limitations of devices designed for consumer use, such as the lack of simultaneity in multiple operating rooms. However, the institution is actively working on adapting and expanding this technology, aiming to implement it in other hospitals in the region.

The hospital demonstrates how integrating advanced technology with a personalized care approach can redefine healthcare standards in Latin America. By balancing technological innovation with the humanization of medical processes, the HIC not only addresses current needs but also paves the way for a sustainable and cutting-edge healthcare model.

"This technology does not replace human work but complements it, allowing the medical team to focus on what truly matters: patient care," Mora concludes.