Ochsner Health is introducing an Epic EHR integration powered by generative AI to streamline patient communication. In an initial pilot phase, around 100 Ochsner clinicians will test the system’s ability to expedite responses to routine patient requests. Clinicians will review and refine AI-generated messages before sending them to patients. The initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens on healthcare professionals and enhance patient experiences. The pilot spans three phases, gathering patient feedback for continual improvement, with a focus on completing it by fall 2023.
Ochsner Health is embarking on an innovative journey with the launch of an Epic EHR integration infused with generative AI capabilities designed to streamline patient communication.
A select cadre of Ochsner clinicians will be the pioneers in testing this groundbreaking Epic feature, geared toward expediting responses to patient inquiries and freeing up doctors’ valuable time for more meaningful patient interactions. The system takes the initiative to compose responses to routine patient queries, subsequently subjecting them to scrutiny and refinement by the attending clinicians.
Dr. Louis Jeansonne, Ochsner’s Chief Medical Information Officer, expressed their commitment to pioneering digital tools to elevate the patient experience, saying, “Ochsner has always been at the forefront of leveraging technology to enhance patient care. Now, we’re exploring how technology can simplify the workflows of our clinical staff, ultimately significantly reducing the time they spend away from patient care.”
Ochsner stands as an early adopter, participating in a select group that is testing this tool, harnessing the capabilities of Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service, meticulously intertwined with Epic’s Electronic Health Record system. The initial phase of this pilot will encompass approximately 100 Ochsner clinicians spread across the extensive Ochsner network comprising 46 hospitals and 370 centers. However, this testing phase will concentrate on simple messages unrelated to diagnoses or clinical judgments.
To ensure precision and compliance, every message generated by the system must undergo the scrutiny of a clinician, who will make any necessary adjustments before the message is dispatched to the patient. Ochsner emphasizes the importance of clinicians remaining actively engaged in patient communication, with the AI-generated drafts serving merely as supportive aids.
Amy Trainor, Ochsner’s Chief Application Officer, expounded on the process, stating, “The AI will generate a draft for the clinician to review and send. Its primary aim is to empower clinicians to respond promptly to patient messages, ensuring patients receive answers to their queries more expeditiously. This will also reduce the time clinicians spend on computers, enabling them to focus more on their core competency – providing direct patient care.”
The pilot program is structured into three distinct phases, all scheduled to conclude by the fall of 2023. Each phase will incorporate patient feedback to further enhance the system’s functionality and user experience.
“At Ochsner, we are unwavering in our commitment to improving the experiences of both patients and providers, and we firmly believe that this pilot will demonstrate how AI can alleviate the communication workload on our clinicians,” Trainor remarked, underlining their dedication to leveraging technology for the betterment of healthcare delivery.
