Latest news with #AltaMed
Fast Company
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fast Company
Bigger fonts and no trucks: How Lyft designed its new app for older riders
Getting older can be a time when declining vision, hearing, and cognitive abilities may mean it's no longer safe to drive. It may even lead to giving up your driver's license. In theory, those who age out of driving should be perfect new customers for ride-sharing apps. And yet, Lyft says only 5.6% of its U.S. riders are older than 65. The company sensed a disconnect. The app wasn't meeting older riders' needs, and it needed a redesign. Lyft Silver, now available nationwide, is designed specifically for older users, with a font that's 1.4 times bigger than the standard app, and a simple interface. 'Developing Lyft Silver was truly a labor of care and intention,' Audrey Liu, Lyft's EVP of rider experience, tells Fast Company via email. 'We started by listening—really listening—to the experiences and needs of older adults. We spoke with riders, caregivers, and organizations that serve this community to understand the specific challenges they face with transportation. Things like navigating complex apps, feeling unsure about who their driver will be, or needing a little extra time and assistance.' The new design represents a collaboration among experts on aging, as well as partners like AltaMed, Urban League, Self Help for the Elderly, and others. The specialized app leans on Lyft's findings about how its older customers actually use the service, like matching riders with more accessible vehicles that are easier to get in and out of since Lyft data showed older adults were twice as likely to cancel rides when they got matched with a pickup truck. And because Lyft found older adults are 57% more likely to not show up for their rides, the app has a 'Get Help' button that connects riders to a live agent during work hours. Lyft Silver profiles also have trusted contacts, so ride details can be shared with family and caregivers. 'Personally, thinking about my own mom and aunt, and the desire I have for them to move through their day with ease and independence, was a huge motivator,' Liu says. 'We focused on building features that directly address those paint points: things like a simpler app interface with larger buttons and clearer instructions, the option for drivers who have indicated a preference for assisting older riders, and a longer wait time to enter and exit the vehicle without feeling rushed. It was about creating a service that feels less transactional and more supportive, fostering a sense of comfort and trust.' It's simple by design, and by basing the app on the needs and experiences of its actual users, Lyft Silver shows how tech companies can better adapt their services to an aging population.
Business Wire
29-04-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
AltaMed Health Services Corporation Partners with Abridge to Bring Leading AI Technology to Multilingual Communities
COMMERCE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Abridge has been chosen by AltaMed Health Services Corporation, the nation's largest federally qualified health center (FQHC), as its AI platform for documenting clinical conversations. Abridge's enterprise-grade technology supports AltaMed's diverse multilingual population across the organization in all care settings and specialties. FQHCs are community-based healthcare organizations that receive funding from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to ensure access to quality health services in underserved areas, regardless of patients' ability to pay. For more than 50 years, AltaMed has been dedicated to eliminating health disparities and improving outcomes in under-resourced communities. AltaMed chose Abridge because of its AI platform that excels in 28 languages, including the 16 most-spoken in the U.S. Recently, during his weekly clinics, AltaMed Chief Operating Officer Dr. Efrain Talamantes tried Abridge for the first time with a patient who had also never experienced ambient AI in a clinical setting. "I'm impressed by the accuracy of the note based on our very fluid conversation in Spanish,' said Dr. Talamantes, who conducted the encounter in Spanish. 'Abridge generated a well-structured note that reduced my administrative time and gave me more time with my patient.' Dr. Talamantes also noted how seamlessly Abridge was able to support switching between Spanish and English in conversation—something particularly useful in a population where caregivers and patients are often speaking in Spanglish, or different languages, during a visit. Dr. Talamantes's patient, Esperanza Bahena, was similarly impressed. 'Ahora que ya tenemos la nueva tecnología de Abridge, me siento más confiada, más contenta. Quiero que el doctor tenga más tiempo para hablar con él de mis problemas de salud cara a cara,' she said following the visit. Translation: "Now that we have the new Abridge technology, I feel more comfortable and happier. I want my doctor to have more time to discuss my health concerns face-to-face.' Abridge has developed a proprietary evaluation method that enables continuous improvement of the company's purpose-built Automatic Speech Recognition and note generation AI models. Using that method, Abridge sets the industry standard for word error rate and medical term recall in English, Spanish, and many other languages. 'My very first patient that I saw using Abridge was of Chinese descent and spoke Mandarin, so I needed an interpreter,' said Dr. Eric Lee, Medical Director of Clinical Informatics at AltaMed. 'He had been hospitalized for a stroke. We discussed the different tests, findings, diagnoses, specialists visits, medications, and more in a natural back-and-forth conversation. What blew me away was that Abridge was able to encapsulate that conversation into a perfect hospital summary. Taking that work off my plate allowed me to focus more on the patient.' Abridge is currently being used by over 100 of the most complex health systems, including organizations like AltaMed that have multilingual patient populations. Abridge supports clinicians and staff by reducing administrative burden, enabling them to focus on patients rather than paperwork. 'It is one of the greatest privileges of my career to help clinicians at FQHCs like AltaMed connect more deeply with their patients, no matter the language,' said Dr. Shiv Rao, CEO and Founder of Abridge. 'Technology should support clinicians in meeting patients where they are. Abridge's rich multilingual support helps both clinicians and patients focus on the conversation and ultimately, the care.' About AltaMed Health Services Corporation AltaMed understands that when people receive care that considers their individual health needs and respects their cultural preferences; they grow healthy—and help their families do the same. Since 1969, we have delivered complete medical services to communities across Southern California. Our team of qualified multicultural and bilingual professionals—from these same communities—are focused on eliminating barriers to primary care services, senior care programs, and essential community services. With more than 60 accredited health centers and service facilities, we remain committed and ready to help you grow healthy at any age. To learn more about AltaMed, visit: About Abridge Abridge was founded in 2018 to power deeper understanding in healthcare. The enterprise-grade AI platform transforms medical conversations into clinically useful and billable documentation at the point of care, reducing administrative burden and clinician burnout while improving patient experience. With deep EHR integration, support for 28+ languages, and 50+ specialties, Abridge is used across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, emergency department, and inpatient. Abridge's enterprise-grade AI platform is purpose-built for healthcare. Supported by Linked Evidence, Abridge is the only solution that maps AI-generated summaries to source data, helping clinicians quickly trust and verify the output. As a pioneer in generative AI for healthcare, Abridge is setting the industry standard for the responsible deployment of AI across health systems. Abridge was recently awarded Best in KLAS for Ambient AI segment in addition to other accolades, including 2025 Forbes AI 50 List, TIME Best Inventions of 2024, and Fortune's 2024 AI 50 Innovators.
