Microsoft has announced the launch of Dragon Copilot, an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to assist healthcare professionals in clinical settings. This innovative tool combines voice-dictating and ambient listening technologies, leveraging the capabilities of Nuance, an AI voice company acquired by Microsoft in 2021.

Dragon Copilot is equipped with features such as multilanguage ambient note creation and natural language dictation, enabling healthcare professionals to efficiently document patient visits. The AI assistant also provides general-purpose medical information searches from trusted content sources, automates tasks like conversational orders, and generates note and clinical evidence summaries, referral letters, and after-visit summaries.

The primary goal of Dragon Copilot is to alleviate the administrative burden on clinicians, allowing them to focus on providing quality patient care. According to Joe Petro, Microsoft VP of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms, the system aims to "free clinicians from much of the administrative burden of healthcare." Microsoft's internal surveys have shown that clinicians who have used the Nuance technology that powers Dragon Copilot experience less burnout, and 93% of their patients report a "better overall experience."

Microsoft is not alone in developing AI-powered tools for healthcare settings. Google, for instance, is also actively exploring the potential of AI in healthcare, with its medical AI chatbot being tested in hospitals. The FDA has published considerations for generative AI devices in healthcare, highlighting both the benefits and risks of this technology, including the potential for models to generate inaccurate information.

In response to these concerns, Microsoft has emphasized its commitment to developing responsible AI by design. Dragon Copilot's capabilities are built on a secure data estate and incorporate healthcare-specific clinical, chat, and compliance safeguards to ensure accurate and safe AI outputs.

The launch of Dragon Copilot marks a significant step forward in the application of AI in healthcare, with the potential to transform the way clinicians work and interact with patients. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how AI-powered tools like Dragon Copilot shape the future of patient care.