In the center of the city of Saratoga Springs, Garnet River, a business solutions company, is making waves far beyond the Capital Region. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, the company is harnessing cutting-edge IT and AI, as a developer of groundbreaking software applications.
At the forefront of their innovative offerings is Consa, an ambient AI note-taker designed for the behavioral health industry. Megan Christiana, Healthcare Solutions Consultant at Garnet River, explains that Consa records the entire therapeutic session and generates notes in the standard SOAP format, a structured method for recording patient encounters. But Consa goes beyond simple transcription. It analyzes vocal biomarkers, providing clinicians with behavioral intelligence insights that can help identify potential issues before they escalate.
“It’s very exciting,” Christiana says, highlighting the technology’s ability to help clinicians maintain eye contact with patients, fostering a more engaging and attentive therapeutic environment. “You get to give your patient 110% of your attention.”
Consa addresses a critical need in the behavioral health sector, particularly for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) nationwide. These clinics face stringent filing deadlines, and Consa streamlines the note-taking process, ensuring clinicians can focus on patient care. “Getting notes done faster is a big win for everybody,” Christiana emphasizes.
Beyond healthcare, Garnet River offers other innovative solutions. Quidi, from “Quick Document Intelligence”, leverages AI to automate processing documents like invoices and credit card statements, eliminating manual data entry. This technology is applicable across diverse industries, from manufacturing to any business dealing with paper or email invoices.
Another application, Hindsight365, tackles the challenges of employee reviews. This platform allows managers to input feedback throughout the year, mitigating bias and providing a comprehensive overview of employee performance. “You can input data from an entire year, and eliminate some of that bias,” Christiana explains.
The inspiration behind these applications stems from Garnet River’s consultative approach. Listening to clients’ needs, they can identify common pain points and develop tailored solutions. “Most of the products we’ve created have come out because of one conversation and one request from one client,” Christiana says.
While Garnet River serves clients nationwide, it maintains a strong presence in the Northeast, prioritizing hands-on, in-person support. Their client base spans small businesses to large corporations, demonstrating the flexibility and adaptability of their software solutions.
The development of Consa exemplifies Garnet River’s agile and responsive approach. A client request sparked the initial concept, and a functional application was ready within months. “He cranked this out,” Christiana says, praising developer Shayne Pendergast. “And when we confirmed that this will become a product, everyone got all hands on deck.”
The integration of Voicesense, a partner company, into Consa further enhances its capabilities. Voicesense provides the vocal analytics that enable Consa to detect subtle emotional cues. Christiana shares a personal anecdote, highlighting the technology’s accuracy in identifying her hidden stress levels during a product test. “It called me out so personally!”
Garnet River’s commitment to innovation and client satisfaction positions them as a key player in the evolving landscape of business solutions. Their applications, particularly Consa, are not just tools, but transformative technologies that enhance efficiency and improve lives. As they continue pushing the boundaries of AI and software development, Garnet River is solidifying its reputation as one of the nation’s tech innovators, based right here in Saratoga Springs.
For more information on Garnet River, their products, and services, visit https://garnetriver.com. For details on Consa, visit https://www.consa.ai.