Nashville, TN – October 31, 2024 – Team Rōnin once again proved their innovative expertise in AI by taking home the overall first-place award at the TN HIMSS 2024 AI Hackathon. Competing against 15 other teams, notably including IBM, Rōnin emerged victorious with their AI-powered virtual patient interaction and coaching platform called CARE, aimed at revolutionizing nurse training.
The TN HIMSS AI Hackathon, a five-week event that began on September 24, tasked participants with creating AI-driven solutions to address critical challenges faced by nursing professionals. Teams were given three weeks to develop and submit functioning applications. HIMSS provided valuable access to nursing professionals and technical resources from NTT DATA and Microsoft to aid the entrants. This year’s hackathon saw fierce competition, but Team Rōnin’s innovative app secured the top spot.
“It’s always exciting to get our talented team together and see what we can pull off quickly,” said Brian Weiss, Senior Software Architect at Rōnin Consulting. “This year, we focused on building an AI-powered app to improve nurse training by simulating patient and caregiver interactions in challenging situations. It feels great to showcase what’s possible with the emerging capabilities of AI.”
The communication coaching platform utilizes advanced AI technologies from OpenAI, Microsoft Azure, and ElevenLabs, to provide a scalable and immersive platform for nurses to practice challenging patient and caregiver interactions. Users receive immediate insights into their performance, helping them adjust their communication and clinical skills. With adaptive learning paths and a diverse range of patient scenarios, the application hones nursing skills in areas like active listening, effective questioning, empathy and cultural sensitivity.
“With the rising demand for AI, we are prepared to partner with companies to envision solutions and deliver practical, impactful applications,” says Chris Bybee, Chief Delivery Officer at Rōnin Consulting. “Our success with CARE exemplifies our comprehensive approach—from identifying a gap in nursing training to designing, developing, and launching an immersive, AI-powered education platform for student nurses. This story reflects our expertise in every stage: assessing needs, creating tailored solutions, and implementing software that succeeds in real-world use cases.” 
The hackathon’s closing event, held on October 30, 2024, featured a C-suite judging panel from leading healthcare organizations like Vanderbilt University Medical Center and HCA Healthcare. The judging criteria included the entry’s innovation, technical difficulty, impact on healthcare, and the potential to improve patient care. Team Rōnin’s entry stood out for its creative use of AI, user-friendly design, and real-world applicability. This marks the second straight year Rōnin claimed victory in the TN HIMSS Hackathon, reinforcing their status as a prominent local leader in the application of AI in healthcare.
About Rōnin Consulting
Rōnin Consulting provides software engineering and systems integration services for healthcare, financial services, distribution, defense, and other business verticals. Their offerings include artificial intelligence consulting, custom software development and architecture, cloud and hybrid implementations, business analysis, data analysis, and digital transformations for clients in the Fortune 500 to rapidly evolving startups.
Want to learn more about last year’s hackathon win? Check out our submission from 2023.
