New AI Assistant Enhances Microsoft’s Health-Care Solutions

In a recent move to revamp its health-care AI solutions, Microsoft introduced “Dragon Copilot,” a voice-activated assistant that combines the functionalities of Dragon Medical One and DAX Copilot.

This new tool is designed to assist doctors in quickly extracting information from medical sources and automatically drafting various documents, such as clinical notes and referral letters.

According to the company, Dragon Copilot aims to alleviate the clerical burdens that contribute to burnout among health-care workers.

An October study by Google Cloud found that clinicians spend nearly 28 hours a week on administrative tasks like documentation.

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Dr. David Rhew, Microsoft’s global chief medical officer, highlighted the benefits of the new tool: “Through this technology, clinicians will be able to focus on the patient rather than the computer, leading to better outcomes and ultimately better health care for all,” he said in a recent briefing.

Microsoft acquired Nuance Communications, the creators of Dragon Medical One and DAX Copilot, for approximately $16 billion in 2021.

This acquisition has solidified Microsoft’s position in the competitive AI scribing market, where tools like DAX Copilot have already been utilised in over 3 million patient visits across 600 health-care organizations in the past month.

Dragon Copilot is accessible via mobile app, browser, or desktop and integrates with various electronic health records.

It allows clinicians to draft and edit clinical notes using natural language, making the documentation process more efficient.

Companies such as Abridge and Suki have also developed similar AI scribing tools, raising substantial funds to compete in this market.

However, Microsoft’s updated interface aims to give it an edge over competitors.

WellSpan Health, which operates 250 locations and nine hospitals in central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, has been testing Dragon Copilot with a group of clinicians.

Dr. David Gasperack, chief medical officer of primary care services at WellSpan, praised the assistant for its ease of use and accuracy.

Although Microsoft did not disclose the cost of Dragon Copilot, it stated that the pricing structure is competitive, and existing customers will find it easy to upgrade.

The new tool will be available in the U.S. and Canada starting in May, with plans to expand to the U.K., the Netherlands, France, and Germany in the following months.

Dr. Rhew emphasised Microsoft’s commitment to improving the medical practice experience for clinicians and patients alike: “Our goal remains to restore the joy of practicing medicine for clinicians and provide a better experience for patients globally.”

CNBC