Mercy Healthcare is teaming up with Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to launch multiple AI-driven solutions by mid-2024. Their collaborative efforts aim to enhance the patient experience and streamline clinical workflows. These innovations include AI-assisted patient-provider communication, AI-powered recommendations for follow-up actions, and a provider-centric chatbot to facilitate faster access to vital information. The partnership leverages Microsoft’s cloud and AI expertise, marking a significant step toward more efficient and patient-centered healthcare.
In mid-2024, Mercy is set to unveil multiple solutions aimed at enhancing the clinician-patient experience and streamlining clinical workflows by harnessing the power of Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. Mercy has joined forces with Microsoft to leverage Azure OpenAI Service and various digital technologies to empower clinicians with more time for patient care and elevate the overall patient experience.
According to Joe Kelly, Mercy’s Executive Vice President of Transformation and Business Development Officer, their ongoing collaboration with Microsoft, including their utilization of Microsoft’s secure cloud infrastructure, positions them favorably to make real-time clinical decisions that ultimately enhance patient care.
Working in tandem with Microsoft, Mercy is exploring over four dozen AI applications and plans to introduce numerous new AI use cases by the middle of the next year, all geared towards revolutionizing patient care and experiences. This approach focuses on delivering predictive, proactive, and personalized healthcare at its finest.
Mercy’s strategy involves deploying Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to enhance care in various ways. For instance, patients will gain a clearer understanding of their lab results and engage in more informed discussions with their healthcare providers thanks to AI-assisted communication using generative AI.
Mercy will also employ generative AI when handling patient calls, such as appointment scheduling. Following the initial interaction, the AI tool will offer recommendations for subsequent actions, ensuring that patient needs are met effectively.
Furthermore, a provider-centric chatbot will expedite the retrieval of crucial information about Mercy’s policies and procedures. By assisting providers in finding the information they require more swiftly, this technology enables them to allocate more time to patient care.
Steve Mackin, Mercy’s President and CEO, expressed that Mercy and Microsoft are forging a new path for healthcare systems. They are collaborating closely to blend Mercy’s two-century legacy in healthcare with Microsoft’s extensive expertise in cloud and AI. This collaboration aims to elevate care for their patients and enhance the working experience for physicians, advanced providers, nurses, and all members of the healthcare team by leveraging technology in innovative and secure ways, ultimately advancing healthcare for all.
