WellSpan Health is making life easier for its providers by introducing an AI-driven clinical documentation tool from Nuance. The tool, called DAX Copilot, collaborates with Epic to create clinical notes during patient visits. This entire process, the company claims, takes only seconds and allows clinicians to review and enter the notes into the EHR promptly.
According to Nuance, DAX Copilot is the only fully embedded ambient tool currently operational within Epic and is being used by over 55 organizations, with that number expected to double in the coming weeks. This tool is the outcome of a larger collaboration between Microsoft, Nuance, and Epic, aimed at advancing conversational, ambient, and generative AI solutions for Epic users.
Dr. R. Hal Baker, WellSpan’s senior vice president and chief digital and information officer, highlighted the importance of enhancing patient experience. He stated, “With DAX Copilot, we’re building on our continuing success with DAX and the trust that Nuance has consistently earned over time.”
DAX Copilot is an evolution of DAX Full-Service, which launched in 2020. Unlike its predecessor, Copilot relies exclusively on AI to draft clinical notes, with physicians having the final say on the note draft. WellSpan initially deployed DAX Full-Service in 2021 after a successful pilot program. Currently, 82 WellSpan providers are using DAX Copilot, and more are scheduled to join.
A WellSpan satisfaction survey revealed that 94% of doctors using DAX reported an improvement in the quality of patient-physician interactions, and 85% mentioned achieving a better work-life balance. Patients also expressed positive feedback, with 97% stating that doctors using the system appeared more focused, personable, and engaged during visits.
This deployment aligns with WellSpan’s commitment to empowering clinicians and providing innovative tools that allow them to focus entirely on delivering the best patient care. Robert Dahdah, corporate vice president of global health and life sciences at Microsoft, emphasized this commitment, saying, “which is why they all went to medical school.”
In a related announcement, Nuance and Providence disclosed plans to expand their collaboration, aiming to rapidly scale and enhance the capabilities of existing solutions at Providence. Their joint efforts will focus on improving operational efficiency, accelerating in-house solutions development, advancing clinical research using generative AI, enhancing patient and provider experiences, and expanding industry collaboration.
Source: fiercehealthcare
