Microsoft Switzerland’s «More Time for What Matters Most: Patient Care» project has been awarded the European Excellence Award 2024 in the Switzerland & Austria category, selected from over 700 entries. This innovative communication campaign showcased how AI-driven solutions can transform healthcare delivery at Lucerne Cantonal Hospital (LUKS).
In an era of increasing healthcare challenges, the award-winning initiative highlighted LUKS’s transformative shift from manual to AI-assisted staff scheduling. Previously, nursing supervisors spent up to five days per month planning the availabilities of their staff. The innovative solution, developed in partnership with healthcare technology pioneer Polypoint, seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams, using AI technology to generate draft schedules that free up time for more meaningful tasks, reduces planning efforts by two-thirds, benefiting employees and their patients alike.
«This achievement reflects the power of authentic storytelling and the meaningful impact of our work,» said Michael Isaac, Head of PR and Communications at Microsoft Switzerland and Austria. «By sharing this story, we’ve shown how AI can free up healthcare professionals› time to focus on what matters most—caring for patients. We hope to inspire other organizations to explore how technology can be implemented in meaningful, human-centric ways.»
The hospital’s 2,780 nurses have experienced how the AI-powered scheduling system has reduced planning time by up to five days per month per department and decreased overall scheduling efforts by two-thirds. These time savings have translated into increased employee satisfaction through better consideration of duty requests. LUKS plans to expand the solution to all shift employees across all locations by 2026.
The project represents a successful collaboration between Microsoft, Polypoint, LUKS healthcare professionals and Microsoft’s EMEA Source Storytelling Team.
The European Excellence Award is one of the communications industry’s most prestigious honors, celebrating outstanding campaigns, strategies, and innovations across Europe. Microsoft’s recognition in the Switzerland & Austria category underscores the significance of using AI technology to support healthcare professionals while prioritizing quality patient care.
