Something extraordinary has arrived at Texas Children’s, and it’s powered by gratitude and innovation. The Caught You Caring AI Assistant, which recently launched, is transforming how we recognize the people behind extraordinary care.
This is the first time our hospital has an AI-powered tool dedicated entirely to team member recognition. Developed through close collaboration between the Patient Experience team and the AI and Data Science team within Information Services, the assistant tool reflects the hospital’s commitment to excellence, appreciation and celebrating those who make a difference for patients and families every day.
For years, patients and families have shared heartfelt feedback through patient experience surveys to express gratitude for their care teams. Too often, those kind messages never reached the people who inspired them, mainly because reviewing and sharing comments required a manual, time-intensive process.
The Caught You Caring AI Assistant changes that.
Each day, the AI assistant scans new patient experience survey comments, using advanced large language models to identify team member names. After verifying matches through a multilayer process, the tool automatically sends recognition emails to team members, with leaders copied, all within the existing Caught You Caring platform.
After three carefully designed pilot phases, the teams refined the tool to ensure accuracy, safety and ease of use. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. During the Phase 3 pilot, nearly 90% of team members said receiving a Caught You Caring recognition email was meaningful, and more than 90% of leaders agreed the assistant made it easier to recognize staff and support positive team morale.
Beyond the metrics, participants shared how the recognition felt on a personal level. “Being recognized by someone who sees you work hard is such a great feeling, especially when everyone has a lot going on in their lives,” one team member said. “Receiving an email with a small, detailed gesture goes a long way. Thank you for doing this.”
Experience Consultant for Patient Experience Erika Diaz said the tool will provide more than efficiency for team member recognition. The tool will allow us to show personalized gratitude to well-deserving providers who have been serving our patients and their families for a long time.
“Caught You Caring has been around for 10 years, yet many frontline workers had never received recognition,” she said. “During our pilots, 25% to 30% of team members received their very first Caught You Caring. That’s incredibly powerful.”
The impact of the tool is just as meaningful to the team who built it.
”The emotional comments from the patient surveys showed how deeply our caregivers impact patients and families. Being able to deliver those messages directly to providers is a success for us,” said Di Miao, Data Scientist Lead and co-developer of the tool. “The Caught You Caring project is a powerful example of how AI can transform experiences at Texas Children’s, to enhance care and streamline administrative processes. Just like this initiative, our team is driving several innovative projects forward, turning cutting-edge ideas into real-world applications.”
“We are beyond excited to unveil this technology in a way that truly uplifts our workforce and honors the heart behind their work,” said Elisa Mozley, director sponsor for this initiative. “This innovation strengthens a culture where our HEART values aren’t just spoken, they’re lived, reflecting the humility, excellence, accountability, respect and trust our caregivers embody every day,” By connecting patient voices directly to caregivers, we are fostering a culture where compassion is seen, celebrated and shared to ensure every caring moment has a chance to be recognized.
Patients and families aren’t the only ones who notice meaningful care. When you see a colleague go above and beyond, celebrate them through the Caught You Caring initiative by clicking here to complete a submission form. And if you want to view your own recognitions—or if you’re a leader looking to easily recognize and encourage your team—explore the new Caught You Caring Dashboard (linked), which brings all Caught You Caring recognition together in one place.
