For years, we’ve said that AI was poised to transform healthcare. Now, it’s happening.
That was one of the big takeaways from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Health Conference and Exhibition in March, where you could see copious examples of AI in action, making an impact for clinicians — and patients — every single day.
Physician burnout in the U.S. reached staggering numbers in recent years, skyrocketing to 62.8% in 20211, exacerbated by the pandemic. In 2023, reports of burnout dropped to 48.2%1, thanks in part to advances in technology that help streamline workflows and reduce administrative burdens. Undoubtedly, that number is still far too high, but judging by what I saw at the recent conference there’s a growing momentum to bring it down, thanks to AI solutions that enhance provider well-being and improve clinical outcomes.
Moving towards comprehensive and adaptive AI
Doctors and healthcare systems have become accustomed to using generative AI tools that allow them to be more present with their patients while also boosting efficiency. Ambient clinical intelligence, for example, can automatically document conversations between a clinician and a patient, capturing the complete patient story and integrating the information into EHRs and notes that doctors can then effortlessly edit. For over two decades2, solutions such as DAX Copilot have allowed clinicians to turn the chair around from their computers and focus fully on the patient in their exam room while saving an average of five minutes per encounter3 in the process.
Now, the industry is buzzing about moving to AI that is even more capable and comprehensive, which will go beyond summarizing data and can be trained to perform more complex actions within a workflow.
That’s the direction that Microsoft’s latest AI clinical solution is moving in. Unveiled at HIMSS, Microsoft Dragon Copilot is an AI assistant for clinical workflow that brings together the natural language voice dictation capabilities of Dragon Medical One with the ambient listening capabilities of DAX, along with fine-tuned generative AI and healthcare-adapted safeguards. Dragon Copilot is able to complete more complicated actions, which in turn boosts clinician efficiency and well-being, while also improving patient experiences.
HIMSS attendees got to see Dragon Copilot in action. At our booth, we showcased a day in the life of a clinician and highlighted how this comprehensive AI assistant can save them time. For example, Dragon Copilot streamlines documentation by capturing a conversation and converting it into a clinical note; then, using natural language, it can customize a whole array of other documents, such as an after-visit summary, a patient letter, a referral letter, an authorization letter, or any other type of content derived from the clinical note, that the clinician can then fine-tune. A natural language prompt interface allows a clinician to speak to Dragon Copilot naturally, like they would a human assistant, to instruct it to complete tasks like, ordering tests or accessing information they need from credible medical sources, using patient context to help inform the appropriate answer.
One of the aspects that I’m most excited about with Dragon Copilot is the ability to integrate third-party applications for future extensibility. Microsoft’s extensive healthcare partner ecosystem is core to this vision. By incorporating proactive intelligence informed by conversational context, the system could, for example, recommend screenings and tests based on the signals exchanged between the patient and provider.
Based on those interactions, the third-party technology could potentially pick up signs that the patient may be depressed, or it might be able to detect early signs of a neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s, based on patterns of speaking. It could then alert the clinician, in real time, to consider performing additional tests and intervene while the patient is still in the exam room. This opens up remarkable opportunities to drive meaningful outcomes and better patient care.
Dragon Copilot and the gift of time
It was exciting to see the faces of clinicians as they experienced Dragon Copilot for the first time at HIMSS. They could sense instantly that the purpose of this powerful combination of tools goes beyond improving efficiency and care; its purpose is to improve lives. And that all starts with time.
Time is everything in healthcare. Time to look the patient in the eyes and hear their story. Time to think and make the best medical decision for the patient. When impediments are removed — such as time-consuming documentation — clinicians can do their job more efficiently and lessen their cognitive load.
We hear from doctors every day who say that ambient AI tools gave them back time in their evening so that they could go to their child’s soccer game, attend their recital, or have dinner with their wife.
When I attend HIMSS, I don’t expect it to be an emotional experience. Twice, I’ve been wrong about that. Six years ago, when we first demonstrated the power of ambient AI, I witnessed teary eyed clinicians in the audience as they realized what a game changer this technology could be for their practice. And this year, again, the same thing happened with Dragon Copilot.
When I see those tears, it makes me proud to work on a product with a purpose. When doctors see the ways that AI can augment their practice, they understand intrinsically that it is going to change and improve their patient’s life and theirs. That, in turn, drives me in my work to continue innovating by having clinicians and world-class technologists work hand-in-hand. Once healthcare providers experience the benefits of AI, there’s no going back.
Kenneth Harper is the General Manager of Dragon Product Management at Microsoft.
References:
1 Berg S. Physician burnout rate drops below 50% for first time in 4 years. American Medical Association. Published July 2, 2024. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/physician-burnout-rate-drops-below-50-first-time-4-years
2 Meet Microsoft Dragon Copilot: Your new AI assistant for clinical workflow – Microsoft Industry Blogs. Microsoft Industry Blogs. Published March 3, 2025. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/blog/healthcare/2025/03/03/meet-microsoft-dragon-copilot-your-new-ai-assistant-for-clinical-workflow/
3 Harper K. DAX Copilot: New customization options and AI capabilities for even greater productivity – Microsoft Industry Blogs. Microsoft Industry Blogs. Published August 8, 2024. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/blog/healthcare/2024/08/08/dax-copilot-new-customization-options-and-ai-capabilities-for-even-greater-productivity/
