Nuance announces first fully AI-automated clinical documentation tool in healthcare

Microsoft subsidiary Nuance on Monday announced the arrival of what it says is the first fully AI-automated clinical documentation tool in healthcare.

DAX Express combines the conversational and ambient artificial intelligence found in Nuance’s technology with the advanced reasoning and natural-language capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4. The tool allows radiologists and other physicians to automatically create draft clinical notes “in seconds” for immediate review and completion following each patient visit.

Nuance and Microsoft believe the DAX (short for Dragon Ambient eXperience) Express will help to reduce administrative burdens on docs while allowing them to spend more time with patients. They called the AI tool’s arrival a “major milestone” in their bid to automate documentation.

“What makes this breakthrough so impactful is that the power of artificial intelligence is magnified by the unique strengths of Nuance and Microsoft,” BJ Moore, chief information officer and executive VP of the Providence health system, said in a statement. “They are setting the stage for innovation that will shape healthcare delivery across the industry,” he added later.

The companies said the new tool builds on its Dragon Ambient eXperience platform, already deployed across hundreds of healthcare systems. DAX Express also is compliant with rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and developed with the goals of keeping AI “trustworthy and safe,” according to the announcement.

“Microsoft and Nuance believe that while AI in healthcare has the potential to make a lasting, positive impact on the industry and the patients it serves, it is imperative we ensure the technology is used responsibly and transparently,” the two said in a separate blog post shared on March 20.