Pluto Health and Help.AI have announced a strategic partnership aimed at improving surgical outcomes and reducing the cost of care through the launch of Valume™, a next-generation preoperative readiness platform. The collaboration brings together Pluto Health’s AI-powered care coordination with Help.AI’s Surgical Population Management (SPM™) platform to create smarter, more efficient workflows for surgical teams and patients. Surgical care accounts for nearly 30% of U.S. healthcare spending—over $900 billion annually—yet preoperative care remains one of the most fragmented and inconsistent areas of the system. Patients often face delays due to missing test results, incomplete health histories, or inefficient assessments that could have been resolved weeks earlier. These gaps frequently lead to last-minute cancellations, longer hospital stays, and compromised outcomes. Valume™ addresses these challenges by leveraging AI to streamline preoperative screening, identify risks early, and automate care coordination. By integrating Pluto Health’s AI-enabled service with Help.AI’s SPM™ platform, clinicians gain real-time visibility into patient readiness, enabling proactive interventions and reducing delays. The platform has the potential to save at least $5,000 per surgical case by minimizing unnecessary testing and avoiding costly cancellations. Dr. Joy Bhosai, CEO of Pluto Health and former Assistant Professor of Hospital Medicine at Duke, emphasized the impact of inefficiencies in pre-op care. “Surgeries are delayed or canceled because teams lack access to timely information—completed procedures, test results, or coordinated assessments,” she said. “With Help.AI’s SPM™ integrated into our AI infrastructure, we’re enabling faster, smarter, and more connected care that improves outcomes and reduces strain on the system.” Dr. Perrin Jones, founder of Help.AI, described Valume™ as the fusion of volume and value across surgical populations. “Our goal is to help health systems manage risk proactively, reduce costs, and drive better outcomes at scale,” he said. “This integration marks a turning point in perioperative care, where AI supports both clinical excellence and operational efficiency.” The partnership enhances the entire patient journey—from initial evaluation to postoperative recovery—by ensuring patients receive timely, personalized guidance. It also supports population health by identifying and addressing chronic conditions before surgery, reducing complications and improving long-term outcomes. Help.AI’s SPM™ platform uses artificial intelligence to unify clinical records, automate evaluations, and guide decision-making for surgical teams. Its virtual agents assist with patient intake, care coordination, and real-time interventions, enabling health systems to scale preoperative readiness while improving patient satisfaction. Pluto Health, a Duke University spin-out, specializes in connecting patients with the right care at the right time. By integrating data from disparate sources, the platform generates personalized care plans in minutes, helping patients access preventive services, at-home testing, and clinical trials through a trusted network of partners. Together, Pluto Health and Help.AI are building a scalable model for AI-driven, value-based care that improves access, reduces waste, and delivers better outcomes for patients, providers, and payers alike.