Microsoft Launches Dragon Copilot AI in Ireland for Healthcare

Microsoft has introduced its AI clinical assistant, Microsoft Dragon Copilot, in Ireland to assist doctors with administrative tasks like referrals and after-visit summaries.

Dragon Copilot aims to streamline workflows and integrate seamlessly with electronic patient records, allowing clinicians more time for patient care.

The technology combines generative AI, speech capabilities from Microsoft and Nuance's Dragon Medical One software, and the ambient AI of Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX).

Research by Microsoft indicates that 40% of patients have experienced consultations where clinicians were too focused on screens to fully engage.

Over 200 clinicians from seven healthcare organizations in the UK and Ireland tested Dragon Copilot in a private preview program involving over 10,000 consultations.

Results in the US have been positive, with clinicians reporting a time saving of five minutes per patient encounter.

Seventy percent reported reduced feelings of burnout and fatigue, while 62% said they are less likely to leave their organization, and 93% of patients reported a better overall experience.

Ciara Perciavalle, head of health at Microsoft Ireland, stated, "Dragon Copilot is helping to reshape how clinicians manage time-consuming administrative tasks, freeing up valuable time for patient care."

"By streamlining workflows and integrating seamlessly with electronic patient records, Dragon Copilot not only enhances operational efficiency but also supports clinician well-being, retention, and patient experiences.

As Ireland continues to address growing demand and resource constraints, solutions like Dragon Copilot are vital in building more resilient and compassionate healthcare for the future," she added.

Dr. Peter-Marc Fortune, a pediatric intensive care physician and chief medical information officer at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, agreed that clinical AI assistants like Dragon Copilot "should reduce the burden of ensuring that clinicians are capturing everything, so they can actually focus on the interaction with the patient."

"[Consultations now feel more] face-to-face… like would have happened in the GP surgery 20 years ago, before everybody had PCs on their desk. The most important thing is to develop a relationship with a patient," he said.