Enhancing Patient Safety: CHI Health and Creighton Partner to Bring AI to Nursing

CHI Health, a member of CommonSpirit Health, is leading an innovative effort to improve patient care by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its Virtually Integrated CareSM (VIC) program. Partnering with Creighton University College of Nursing, CHI Health will pilot an AI-enhanced nursing platform aimed at preventing patient falls and pressure injuries—two of the most common hospital safety concerns. 

This pioneering project will take place at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy, further strengthening CHI Health’s commitment to innovation and patient safety.

CHI Health’s VIC program pairs bedside nurses with experienced virtual nurses who assist with patient education, administrative tasks, and quality checks, freeing up on-site staff to focus on direct patient care. The AI-enhanced nursing platform will build on this model by using AI to monitor patient movement and send real-time alerts to both virtual and bedside nurses when a patient is at risk of falling.

“VIC has already transformed how we support our nurses and care for patients,” said Anne Schoening, PhD, RN, Nursing Practice Coordinator at CHI Health CUMC - Bergan Mercy. “By adding AI to the mix, we’re taking another big step forward in preventing injuries and improving patient outcomes.”

Through this pilot program, Creighton nursing and computer science faculty will work with CHI Health clinicians to train AI technology to recognize the movements that typically precede a fall. By simulating these scenarios, the AI system will learn to detect red flags and send early alerts through the VIC platform, giving nurses a critical window to intervene before an injury occurs.

“Strategic technology implementation empowers our nursing teams,” said Julie Tuel, MSN, RN, System Vice President of Virtual Care Nursing Practice Transformation at CommonSpirit Health. “By automating certain tasks, we’re allowing nurses to focus on what matters most—delivering compassionate, high-quality care.”

On March 11, 2025, CHI Health’s VIC program received national recognition, earning an Innovations Honorable Mention from the American Nurses Association, and $10,000 to move forward with the AI pilot.