Amber Hickman |
US-based healthcare system Mercy is forming a multi-year alliance with Microsoft to help healthcare providers and clinicians improve the patient experience using generative artificial intelligence technology.
Mercy plans to use Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve care in various ways. Patients will be able to engage in more informed discussions about their health with their clinician through generative AI-assisted conversations. Meanwhile, another chatbot will help Mercy co-workers to quickly find information about the organisation’s policies and procedures and locate human resources-related answers so they can spend more time focusing on patient care.
Employees will also be able to use generative AI for processes such as scheduling appointments when taking patient calls. The solution will provide suggested follow-up actions to ensure Mercy is able to meet patients’ needs and reduce the number of follow-up calls.
“With the latest advances in generative AI, this moment marks a true phase change where emerging capabilities can help health care organisations address some of their most pressing challenges, create needed efficiency and transform care,” said Peter Lee, corporate vice president of research and incubations at Microsoft.
The collaboration builds on Mercy’s digital transformation journey earlier this year, which saw the firm adopt Microsoft Azure. The platform will continue supporting Mercy through its adoption of generative AI by securely centralising and organising data to deliver information quickly.
“Because of all the investments we have made together with Microsoft in the past few years, including the use of Microsoft’s secure cloud, we are better positioned to perform real-time clinical decision-making that ultimately improves patient care,” said Joe Kelly, executive vice president of transformation and business development officer at Mercy. “With Microsoft, we are exploring more than four dozen uses of AI and will launch multiple new AI use cases by the middle of next year to transform care and experiences for patients and co-workers. This is predictive, proactive and personalised care at its best.”
Microsoft and Mercy will also work together to showcase Mercy’s solutions in the Microsoft Technology Center in Chicago, USA, in 2024. The showcase will highlight how the future of healthcare could develop with Microsoft Technology.