Nuance and Covera join forces to improve radiology quality ‘at scale’
PowerScribe purveyor Nuance is partnering on widescale care improvement with a healthcare AI startup that made its name showing Walmart where, and where not, to send its employees for high-accuracy radiology.
In an announcement posted Aug. 17, Nuance and Covera Health say their new Quality Care Collaborative enters the market as the first national program to unite payers, providers and self-insured employers around the goal of improving quality in radiology over time and at scale.
The collaborative enables radiologists to stay within their normal workflows while gaining access to accuracy aids and AI-generated insights, the companies explain.
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All radiology practices in participating payers’ networks can opt-in to the QCC at no cost to them to gain seamless access to a growing suite of quality analytics and clinically validated AI tools to augment existing quality improvement programs. Participating payers and self-insured employers can achieve improved quality and better outcomes for their member populations and the best value for their healthcare dollars.
The arrangement leverages Nuance’s Precision Imaging Network and Microsoft Azure cloud computing, a natural component given Nuance’s 2021 acquisition by Microsoft.
Further, the collaborative is “built upon the Nuance PowerScribe radiology reporting solution used by 80% of U.S. radiologists, the Nuance PowerShare image sharing solution connected to more than 10,000 healthcare facilities and Nuance’s AI cloud infrastructure, which enables an entire ecosystem of third-party diagnostic imaging AI services to be integrated into clinical workflows,” the companies state.
The announcement quotes Walmart VP Lisa Woods, who says the retail giant is “excited about the collaboration between Covera and Nuance and the positive impact it can have on improving the quality of care for all.”
Covera co-founder and CEO Ron Vianu adds that the ability to deliver AI-powered quality insights readily and broadly “fundamentally enhances the way AI is used in radiology to improve patient outcomes.”
And Peter Durlach, chief strategy officer at Nuance, says the program will equip participating radiologists “to deliver the highest level of patient care [and] help combat the commoditization of radiology, all while knowing that their data is protected.”
Full announcement here.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.