SUFFOLK, Va. — New technology at a hospital in Suffolk is helping keep patients better connected with their doctors and nurses.
At Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center, virtual whiteboards in each patient's room update in real time, showing daily goals, medications, test orders and more.
"As we medicate and then we reassess our patient, you will notice that that face [on the board] will change based on the patient's pain level," Kristen McSorley said.
McSorley is the vice president of nursing at Harbour View Medical Center.
"This just allows us to enhance the capabilities that we have as clinicians and increase their safety," McSorley said.
Another way to boost safety, McSorley says, is through artificial intelligence. A camera near the ceiling watches movement in the room.
"If somebody's picking at their shirt or they're starting to fidget, a lot of times that tells us that they most likely either need to get up, they need to go to the bathroom, or they need something in general. They just haven't made it to hit the call light yet," McSorley said.
She says that movement notifies the nurse, cutting down on the likelihood of falls.
"They come in and 9 times out of 10 it's like, yep, I have to go to the bathroom. Thanks for coming in," McSorley said.
I asked McSorley about privacy concerns that can come with AI monitoring.
"The biggest education actually happens on admission. The nurse walks through everything with the patient. If the electronics are turned on, when they're turned on, what does that actually mean?" McSorley said.
"All of our safety cameras are built into the ceiling, and they introduce themselves at shift change. We do have identifiers going across the television, across the whiteboard that does state that you're being monitored but not recorded for your safety so that patients do know."
Harbour View isn't alone in turning to artificial intelligence. "The 2026 AI Index Report" from Stanford University's School of Medicine found hospitals across the country are using AI to help with tasks like documentation, giving clinicians more time to focus on patient care.
"When they could only maybe spend 5 minutes with their patient. Now they're spending 10, 15 to 20 minutes really utilizing healing touch, connecting with their patients instead of sitting in front of a computer having to document," McSorley said.
Harbour View says before they picked these specific systems they asked patients and nurses for feedback on what tech would best enhance care and benefit the patient.
They also have the da Vinci 5, which is a fifth-generation robotic-assisted surgical system.
With more than 35,000 visits since opening in May 2025, they hope it's proof of a safer, more connected hospital stay.
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