Today: Feb 12, 2025

How AI Startup TORTUS Aims to Combat Clinician Burnout and Enhance Patient Care

12 months ago

TORTUS, a London-based startup that harnesses the power of generative AI to assist clinicians with time-consuming administrative tasks, recently secured  £3.3 million in funding.

The recent funding round was spearheaded by Khosla Ventures, an American venture capital firm founded by Vinod Khosla, focused on early-stage companies in the Internet, computing, mobile, financial services, agriculture, healthcare and clean technology sectors

Adina Tecklu, a partner at Khosla Ventures, emphasizes the transformative potential of TORTUS’ AI-driven solution. “Doctors become doctors because they want to care for patients,” Tecklu notes.

“TORTUS is the AI assistant for every physician, in every patient visit. It automates documentation and critical workflows so that doctors can spend more time with patients and less time on paperwork, a significant benefit to both physician and patient wellbeing.”

Established in 2022 by a cardiologist and a machine learning engineer, TORTUS has developed a groundbreaking platform known as Operating System Leverage in Electronic Records (O.S.L.E.R.).

Dr. Dom Pimenta, co-founder of TORTUS and an experienced cardiologist, underscores the critical importance of addressing clinician burnout.

“Throughout my 16-year medical career, I’ve witnessed countless cases of burnout amongst my colleagues,” Dr. Pimenta states. “Over-worked, stressed clinicians simply can’t deliver the best quality of care to patients, negatively impacting their experiences and outcomes.”

O.S.L.E.R. is designed to automate documentation and administrative workflows for medical professionals, offering much-needed relief from the burdensome paperwork that often plagues healthcare settings.

Today let us learn more about this digital company, and I hope you will get inspiration to innovate in your field as well.

How it works

The O.S.L.E.R. platform operates by “listening” to conversations between clinicians and patients, automatically generating documents that can then be reviewed and signed off by humans. Additionally, O.S.L.E.R.processes notes from doctors, further streamlining the documentation process.

Despite its data collection capabilities aimed at automating workflows, TORTUS emphasizes that the O.S.L.E.R. platform does not possess recording or storage capacity. This ensures strict confidentiality and privacy safeguards are maintained, safeguarding sensitive medical information.

TORTUS has recently initiated the pilot phase of its platform in collaboration with the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH), marking a significant milestone in its journey to revolutionize healthcare administration.

“Healthcare professionals across all roles spend an average of 13.5 hours per week adding to, or creating, clinical documentation. This is more than a third of the average clinician’s working hours, and 25% more time than in 2015,” says Dr Shankar Sridharan, Chief Clinical Information Officer and Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist at GOSH.

Founded in 1852, Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated, children’s healthcare specialists under one roof in the UK. With more than 252,000 outpatient and 43,000 inpatient visits every year, the hospital’s pioneering research and treatment gives hope to children from across the UK with the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions.

At the core of O.S.L.E.R.’s mission is the elimination of human error in medicine, achieved through collaborative co-working between clinicians and AI.

Through extensive Phase II clinical trials, O.S.L.E.R. has demonstrated remarkable outcomes. Clinicians working alongside O.S.L.E.R. report reclaiming approximately 25% more clinic time, while also witnessing a doubling in documentation quality.

Perhaps most importantly, 100% of clinicians agree that O.S.L.E.R. enables them to provide patients with their undivided attention, a significant improvement compared to previous practices.

Privacy and cybersecurity stand as cornerstones of O.S.L.E.R.’s design. Developed by clinicians, for clinicians, O.S.L.E.R. prioritizes patient privacy with CyberEssentials certification and adherence to strict regulations including HIPAA, DTAC, GDPR, DPST, and pending ISO27001 standards.

This commitment ensures that patient data remains protected and secure at all times.

One of O.S.L.E.R.’s key strengths lies in its versatility. As an AI agent, O.S.L.E.R. possesses the capability to control any Electronic Health Record (EHR) system and other programs within the healthcare environment without the need for integrations. This flexibility enables O.S.L.E.R. to automate workflows and provide clinical AI support across diverse and complex healthcare settings.

 

The Problem

The healthcare industry is burdened by excessive administrative tasks that consume a significant portion of doctors’ time, detracting from valuable patient-facing interactions. Physicians spend a substantial amount of their work hours on documentation, data entry, and navigating complex electronic health record (EHR) systems. 

This administrative burden not only leads to burnout among healthcare professionals but also hampers the efficiency and quality of patient care. Furthermore, the lack of streamlined workflows and automation exacerbates the problem, hindering productivity and increasing operational costs for medical practices.

In a recent white paper Titled “Leveraging AI for Quality Reporting in Healthcare,”authored by a diverse team of contributors, including healthcare professionals and industry experts, explored the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in quality reporting within the healthcare sector.  

One of the central challenges identified is the documentation burden faced by healthcare providers in meeting quality reporting requirements. Physicians lamented the time-consuming nature of manual data entry and the administrative overhead involved in complying with quality metrics. 

However, they also expressed skepticism about the cognitive benefits of pre-filled metrics, underscoring the importance of AI solutions that streamline documentation processes without sacrificing accuracy.

Another critical issue highlighted in the white paper is the collation and visualization of quality data, which often involves laborious manual efforts and significant time investment. Physicians cited the lack of tools capable of efficiently aggregating data from disparate sources and generating actionable insights.

Solution:

TORTUS addresses this critical issue by providing O.S.L.E.R., a cutting-edge AI co-pilot designed to automate administrative tasks, streamline workflows, and enhance the efficiency of medical practices. 

O.S.L.E.R. serves as a voice-controlled AI assistant capable of learning to interact with any EHR system, take detailed notes, summarize medical letters, and facilitate the ordering of tests and procedures. 

By harnessing the power of AI-assisted automation, O.S.L.E.R. significantly reduces the administrative burden on doctors, allowing them to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork. 

This innovative solution not only improves the productivity and satisfaction of healthcare professionals but also enhances the overall quality of care delivered to patients.

Targeted Customers:

TORTUS primarily targets healthcare professionals and medical practices seeking to optimize their workflow, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the quality of patient care. 

This includes doctors, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers who are looking to streamline administrative tasks and maximize their time spent with patients.

 Additionally, TORTUS may also cater to healthcare organizations, hospitals, and clinics seeking innovative solutions to improve productivity, reduce costs, and mitigate burnout among their staff. 

Ultimately, O.S.L.E.R.’s versatility and adaptability make it suitable for a wide range of healthcare settings, from small private practices to large hospital systems.

 

Key takeaways to nurture and inspire your Journey

Addressing Pain Points

 TORTUS identified a significant pain point in the healthcare industry—excessive administrative tasks burdening clinicians—and developed a solution to alleviate this challenge. Businesses should focus on identifying and addressing key pain points in their target market to create valuable solutions that meet genuine needs.

Innovation with AI

 By leveraging generative AI technology, TORTUS developed O.S.L.E.R., a groundbreaking platform that automates documentation and administrative workflows for medical professionals. This highlights the potential of innovative technologies, such as AI, to revolutionize traditional industries and streamline processes.

Partnership Strategies

TORTUS strategically partnered with the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) to pilot its platform. Collaborating with established institutions can provide credibility, access to resources, and real-world testing opportunities for innovative solutions. Businesses should consider strategic partnerships to accelerate growth and validate their offerings.

Investor Confidence

The successful funding round led by Khosla Ventures underscores investor confidence in TORTUS’ vision and potential impact. Securing investment from reputable venture capital firms can provide crucial funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities for startups. Building investor confidence requires a clear value proposition, solid execution strategy, and evidence of market demand.

Focus on User Experience

TORTUS prioritizes user experience by designing O.S.L.E.R. to seamlessly integrate into clinicians’ workflow and ensure data confidentiality. Prioritizing user-centric design and data privacy fosters trust and adoption among users, ultimately contributing to the success of the platform.

Impactful Mission

 Dr. Dom Pimenta, co-founder of TORTUS, emphasizes the mission-driven aspect of the business, aiming to address clinician burnout and enhance patient care. Businesses with a clear and impactful mission resonate with stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and partners, fostering a sense of purpose and driving engagement.

Continuous Innovation

As technology and industry landscapes evolve, businesses must prioritize continuous innovation to stay ahead of the curve. TORTUS continues to innovate and refine its AI-driven platform to meet evolving market demands and deliver greater value to its customers.

Scalability and Expansion

With the successful pilot launch and funding round, TORTUS is poised for scalability and expansion. Businesses should plan for scalability from the outset, ensuring their infrastructure, processes, and resources can support growth and expansion into new markets or product offerings.

TORTUS Journey : The Voice-Controlled AI Co-Pilot Revolutionizing Healthcare

In a bid to transform the landscape of healthcare, Tortus introduces O.S.L.E.R., a pioneering voice-controlled AI co-pilot designed to alleviate the administrative burden on doctors and enhance patient-facing time. Recognizing the staggering amount of time physicians devote to administrative tasks—reportedly up to half of their work hours—Tortus aims to revolutionize the healthcare industry by automating administrative tasks, documentation, and workflows through O.S.L.E.R.

At its core, O.S.L.E.R. serves as an AI assistant capable of learning to navigate electronic health records (EHR) systems, take detailed notes, summarize medical letters, and even order tests. By harnessing the power of AI-assisted automation, O.S.L.E.R. promises to significantly improve both the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of medical practices, allowing doctors to devote more time to direct patient care.

The significance of O.S.L.E.R. lies in its ability to emulate human-computer interaction seamlessly. With voice-controlled functionality, O.S.L.E.R. can mimic the actions of a human user, effortlessly interacting with any EHR system. This versatility not only streamlines administrative processes but also enhances the overall user experience, enabling physicians to focus on providing high-quality care to their patients.

By automating routine tasks and documentation, O.S.L.E.R. represents a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery, empowering doctors to optimize their workflow and prioritize patient care. With O.S.L.E.R.’s innovative capabilities, Tortus aims to redefine the doctor-patient relationship, fostering greater efficiency, productivity, and satisfaction within the healthcare ecosystem.

Fabrice Iranzi

Journalist and Project Leader at LionHerald, strong passion in tech and new ideas, serving Digital Company Builders in UK and beyond
E-mail: iranzi@lionherald.com

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