EHR vendors are making bold strides to reshape healthcare technology, unveiling new features, partnerships, and AI-powered tools aimed at enhancing patient care and streamlining clinical workflows.
Here's a look at some recent announcements:
Oracle Health
On Oct. 29, Oracle Health announced that it would be releasing a new EHR system equipped with artificial intelligence and cloud features. The new EHR has no menus or drop-down screens allowing clinicians to find the information they need just by speaking, and is not created on Cerner's original platform, according to the company. As a result, Oracle said Cerner customers will have to decide if they want to switch over to this system.
Oracle's early-adopter program for its new EHR will launch in 2025.
Oracle also launched a new version of its generative AI-powered digital assistant for clinicians. This tool, integrated into the Oracle Health EHR, is a voice-activated Clinical AI Agent, formerly known as the Clinical Digital Assistant. The tool generates notes and suggests follow-ups such as labs and referrals.
Oracle is also making interoperability strides after it announced that it intends to obtain the Qualified Health Information Network designation under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, known as TEFCA. The EHR vendor has begun the process to achieve Qualified Health Information Network status. With this, Oracle Health will be able to facilitate seamless and secure health information exchange for its healthcare clients.
Epic
In October, Epic and tech giant Microsoft said that they are working with health systems to develop an AI solution that uses ambient technology to streamline nursing documentation. The tool, according to Microsoft, will leverage ambient technology to create flowsheets for review, allowing nurses to minimize paperwork and dedicate more time to patient care.
Health systems such as Charlotte, N.C.-based Advocate Health; Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health; Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health; Denver, Colo.-based Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital; St. Louis-based Mercy; Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine; Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care; and Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital are among the healthcare organizations working with Microsoft and Epic on this initiative.
Epic is also creating tools to minimize cognitive load for clinicians through a project called "Simplify." This feature enables clinicians to customize their software layout, hiding, collapsing, or rearranging elements based on preference.
Other upcoming features from Epic include AI-powered agents in its patient portal, MyChart. According to Epic, these AI tools will offer personalized guidance for patients, such as healthcare reminders, surgery preparation checklists and condition management through integration with medical devices like heart monitors and glucose sensors.
These features are set to roll out for MyChart by May 2025.
Epic also said it is planning to improve payer-provider connectivity with automated processes for real-time insurance checks and streamlined communication. By 2025, the vendor aims to integrate health system and payer directories, improving prior authorization processes and addressing denials more effectively.
Meditech
At its annual Meditech Live conference, Meditech unveiled plans to enhance its Expanse EHR with conversational and generative AI to ease clinicians' documentation workloads, a move aimed at allowing them to focus more on patient relationships. Helen Waters, Meditech's executive vice president and COO, emphasized the need to support clinicians by integrating AI and ambient listening technologies.
The company also highlighted efforts to boost operational efficiency, including using machine learning to improve capacity and automate revenue cycle processes. This includes collaborating with the HL7 Da Vinci Project to streamline prior authorizations. Additionally, Meditech introduced its new Traverse Exchange U.S. interoperability network, with a goal to enable Expanse customers to go live by 2025, facilitating structured data sharing through HL7 FHIR.