One of Wisconsin's most well-known technology companies is incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into its electronic health records software.
Verona-based Epic Systems Corp. is implementing Microsoft Corp.'s Azure OpenAI Service, which will enable Epic to build applications using the latest natural language AI models.
As health systems in Wisconsin and nationwide face financial strains and labor shortages, the new technology could help providers increase productivity, enhance patient care and improve financial integrity, according to a recent announcement by Epic and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT).
Generative AI has made headlines in recent months as the ChatGPT bot has gained popularity. ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies can create content including text, audio and images by scraping the web to learn patterns about existing content. OpenAI is a San Francisco-based company that develops AI models including ChatGPT.
Health systems including UW Health in Madison are already using electronic health records solutions powered by generative AI.
“Integrating generative AI into some of our daily workflows will increase productivity for many of our providers, allowing them to focus on the clinical duties that truly require their attention,” UW Health chief information officer Chero Goswami said in a statement.
Epic is also using OpenAI's GPT-4 technology in its SlicerDicer data tool in a way that will help health providers identify operational improvements, including ways to reduce costs, Epic senior vice president of research and development Seth Hain said in a statement.
Companies like Epic and UW Health are on the cutting edge of AI adoption as many businesses see the value but aren't ready to implement it.
A recent survey of 225 U.S. executives by the accounting firm KPMG LLP found that 65% believe generative AI will have a high or extremely high impact on their organization in the next three to five years, but 60% said they are still a year or two away from implementing their first generative AI solution.
