“Annie” Healthcare Text Messaging Pilot Program Achieves Positive Outcomes for Veterans

An automated text message service developed by Accenture Federal Services is now deployed at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health centers across the nation. The VA reports the simple, mobile, and interactive service known as “Annie” is achieving positive outcomes by empowering Veterans to stay connected to their healthcare protocols, one text at a time.

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Dr. Ron Moody, Chief Medical Officer, Accenture Federal Services (Photo: Business Wire)

Featuring SMS text message notification capabilities including medication reminders, surgery preparation instructions, and medical treatment plans, Veterans can also use Annie for self-care health data monitoring, such as blood pressure readings, and for chronicling medical symptoms that are being experienced for prompt review by clinical teams.

An eight-month study found Veterans at the Minneapolis VA Health Center who used the texting service reported positive feedback on the tool, specifically regarding patient education, symptom management, self-care, and ease of use.

The program also found Annie demonstrated a successful track record in simplifying the cancer care hospital preadmission process, resulting in a 53 percent decrease in surgery cancellations, by ensuring patients adhered to necessary pre-surgery medical protocols. Cancelled surgeries increase healthcare costs by unnecessarily tying up operating rooms and healthcare personnel.

“Annie is an innovative and valuable tool for both Veterans and their healthcare providers alike,” said Dr. Ron Moody, Accenture Federal Services’ chief medical officer and the clinical lead behind Annie. “The tool is a shining example of how a familiar technology, such as text messaging, has the ability to elevate the overall healthcare experience for those who have served in our nation’s military.”

Accenture Federal Services supported the VA’s Office of Connected Care in developing Annie as a subcontractor to Iron Bow Technologies, which was recently awarded a $2 billion contract to continue its work making healthcare more accessible for veterans.

About Accenture Federal Services

Accenture Federal Services is a leading US federal services company and subsidiary of Accenture LLP. We empower the federal government to solve challenges, achieve greater outcomes, and build a digital core that is agile, smart, and secure. Our 14,000 people are united in a shared purpose to advance our clients’ mission-critical priorities that make the nation stronger and safer, and life better for people. We draw out the best of Accenture’s global network in nearly every industry, bringing proven commercial innovation to solutions built with advanced R&D, emerging technologies, and human-centered design at speed and scale. Together, we help clients create lasting value for their workforce, customers, and partners and make a difference for the country and our communities. See how we make change that matters at accenturefederal.com.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 742,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise, and global delivery capability. We are uniquely able to deliver tangible outcomes because of our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song. These capabilities, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners, and communities. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

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