Microsoft is making strides in the healthcare industry by expanding its artificial intelligence-backed clinical assistant to cater to nurses as well. Dragon Copilot, the upgraded AI assistant tool launched this spring, will now be able to assist nurses in recording their interactions with patients, documenting their care, accessing medical content, and following health system protocols.
Unlike physicians who document patient care in a narrative format, nurses frequently need to input data into discrete fields as they move in and out of patients’ rooms. Microsoft collaborated with multiple health systems to tailor the AI assistant update specifically for nurses’ documentation workflow. This customization ensures that the tool is not simply a replica of what physicians use, but rather a unique solution tailored to nurses’ needs.
The use of AI assistants and documentation tools in healthcare has become increasingly popular as they help clinicians manage administrative tasks more efficiently. By automating note-taking processes, AI technology allows healthcare providers to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork, ultimately improving overall patient outcomes.
With Dragon Copilot, nurses can have their interactions with patients automatically organized into flowsheet documentation, which they can review, edit, and transfer to the electronic health record (EHR). This streamlined process not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors, providing nurses with more opportunities to focus on patient care.
Advocate Health, one of Microsoft’s health system partners, has already begun piloting the nurse assistant tool with positive results. Nurses have reported that the AI assistant allows for more timely documentation, reduces cognitive load, and enables them to spend more time at the bedside with patients, fostering stronger patient-nurse relationships.
The AI tool for nurses is set to be available in the U.S. starting in December, marking it as the first commercially available ambient documentation product built specifically for nursing. Microsoft’s acquisition of documentation firm Nuance Communications has allowed the company to expand its suite of AI documentation and clinical assistant products, offering innovative solutions for healthcare providers.
In addition to the nurse assistant tool, Microsoft also announced that third parties will be able to develop apps and AI agents that integrate directly with Dragon Copilot, opening up opportunities for revenue cycle management, patient experience enhancement, and virtual care. Collaborations with medical information platforms like OpenEvidence and Wolters Kluwer’s UpToDate will provide clinical content within the product, further enhancing its capabilities.
Overall, Microsoft’s continued innovation in the healthcare sector underscores the importance of leveraging AI technology to improve patient care, streamline documentation processes, and empower healthcare providers to focus on what matters most – their patients.
