Nuance’s Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot, integrated into Epic EHR, marks a revolutionary advancement in healthcare technology. With over 150 adopters, this genAI tool significantly reduces clinician administrative burden, enhances patient care, and streamlines workflows. Survey data indicates a 50% cut in clinical documentation time and a 70% decrease in burnout feelings. Patients value the conversational interactions facilitated by DAX Copilot, creating an environment where both clinicians and patients feel seen and heard. This rapid, six-month innovation showcases a collaborative effort between Nuance, Microsoft, and Epic to usher in a new era of efficient and patient-centric healthcare.
Nuance Communications, in partnership with Microsoft and Epic, announces the full integration of Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot into Epic electronic health records (EHR). With more than 150 healthcare institutions utilizing DAX Copilot, this AI-driven tool streamlines clinical workflows and reduces administrative burdens for clinicians. The collaboration with Azure OpenAI Service underscores the commitment to accelerate innovation in conversational and ambient technologies. DAX Copilot, seamlessly embedded in Epic’s Haiku mobile application, enables secure drafting of clinical notes and recording of patient visits, offering immediate benefits to healthcare providers and enhancing the overall patient experience.
The integration of DAX Copilot into Epic’s Haiku mobile application facilitates the secure drafting of clinical notes and the recording of both in-office and telehealth patient visits, with the patient’s consent. The EHR mobile app generates a draft note for immediate review and completion by physicians, allowing them to focus more on patient care and less on time-consuming documentation and typing.
This achievement signifies a rapid pace of innovation, as the genAI EHR-integrated tool was developed in less than six months through collaboration with Azure OpenAI Service, Nuance, and Epic. Peter Durlach, Corporate Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences, emphasized the significance of this accelerated innovation, marking a new era in healthcare technology advancement.
According to a 2023 survey of clinicians using DAX, the tool has successfully reduced administrative burden, with 70% of respondents reporting a decrease in feelings of burnout. Additionally, clinicians noted a 50% reduction in the time spent on clinical documentation. This translates to increased efficiency, allowing some clinicians to manage an average of five additional appointments per clinic day.
Brent Lamm, Chief Information Officer of UNC Health, expressed that DAX Copilot enhances the role of Epic EHR by making clinical documentation an intuitive and straightforward aspect of delivering high-quality patient care. The positive impact extends to patients, as they appreciate the conversational interactions with their providers while DAX Copilot seamlessly handles clinical documentation in the background.
The genAI tool has garnered positive feedback from patients, who value feeling seen and heard during their visits, thanks to the unobtrusive nature of DAX Copilot. This aligns with the overarching goal of improving patient care by creating an environment that encourages meaningful conversations between patients and clinicians.
The broader trend in the healthcare industry sees an increasing focus on leveraging generative AI to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare documentation. Institutions like Vanderbilt University Medical Center have initiated pilots of DAX Copilot in various departments to evaluate its potential in streamlining workflows and enhancing medical record-keeping.
Seth Hain, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at Epic, emphasized that the core goal is to improve patient care by creating space for meaningful conversations between patients and clinicians. The integration of DAX Copilot with the Epic ecosystem aligns with this objective and is recognized for its pioneering nature and strong results.
The integration of DAX Copilot into Epic EHR signifies a transformative leap in healthcare technology, achieved through rapid collaboration between Nuance, Microsoft, and Epic. Clinicians report substantial reductions in burnout and documentation time, translating to increased efficiency and patient capacity. Positive patient feedback highlights the tool’s ability to create meaningful interactions, reinforcing its role in improving the overall quality of patient care. As generative AI continues to shape healthcare documentation, the success of DAX Copilot serves as a benchmark, ushering in a new era where technology not only supports clinicians but also prioritizes patient well-being and experiences.
