News

Oracle's Clinical Assistant Taps AI To Streamline Patient Visits

• By John K. Waters
• 06/26/2024

A new solution from Oracle's healthcare arm aims to transform the doctor-patient experience and reduce administrative strain.

The new Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant for ambulatory clinics is now generally available in the United States.

The solution combines generative AI with clinical automation. It provides conversation-based note generation and proposed clinical follow-ups directly at the point of care, freeing physicians from the need to interrupt patient interactions to navigate screens and drop-down menus.

In fact, the assistant automates the entire documentation process and synchronizes it with the patients' individual medical records without requiring any manual copying and pasting, which will significantly reduce the kinds of tasks that contribute to physician burnout, the company says. And physicians can instantly access critical patient information simply by asking the assistant.

During appointments, the assistant captures comprehensive notes using the provider's preferred templates currently in the patient's Electronic Health Record (EHR) record. Providers review, modify, and approve the notes and next-step actions on their computers or mobile devices to ensure oversight and control.

Early adopters are praising the technology as a game-changer. Physicians at 13 early adopter organizations, including Billings Clinic, Covenant Health, Hudson Physicians, St. John's Health, and T.J. Regional Health, have reported saving more than four and a half minutes per patient and 20-40% in documentation time daily.

"Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant is the most important EHR technology update that I am going to see in my career," said Dr. James Little, a primary care physician at St. John's Health, in a statement. "Since the 1990s, EHRs have turned physicians into keyboard junkies. This will change that. Our physicians can document their patients' visits in real-time, allowing them to leave at the end of the day with good, quality notes."

The Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant was designed to generate notes in minutes, not hours, and support next-step actions, including drafting referrals, prescription orders, and scheduling follow-up labs and appointments, which leads to improved accuracy of medical records and workflow efficiency.

Early adopters are praising the solution. "Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant has been a game-changer. I can simply talk to and focus on my patients, while in the background the system captures all the details, notes, and next-step actions. Not only does this lead to a better experience for me and my patients, but it has significantly diminished the time I take post-appointments or after-hours updating notes."

"What I appreciate most about Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant is the ability to regain eye contact and calmly pay attention to what the patient is really telling me," said Dr. Alicia Brooks, Medical Director at Fort Loudoun Primary Care, Covenant Health, in a statement. "I can focus on understanding their concerns and working through a clear diagnosis and plan."

Seema Verma, executive vice president and general manager of Oracle Health and Life Sciences, emphasized the critical impact of this technology: "Practitioners spend upwards of 20-35% of their time on administrative work. This isn't sustainable and contributes to burnout. We need our providers focused on patient needs. Oracle Clinical Digital Assistant's groundbreaking AI technology solves this problem and brings the joy back to the practice of medicine and healthcare."

"I can simply talk to and focus on my patients, while in the background the system is capturing all the details, notes and next-step actions," added Dr. Ryan McFarland, family medicine practitioner at Wisconsin-based Hudson Physicians. "Not only does this lead to a better experience for me and my patients, but it has significantly diminished the time I take post appointments or after-hours updating notes."