Madison, Wis.-based UW Health's collaboration with Microsoft and Epic in their AI pilot program, aimed at facilitating the drafting of physician messages to patients, has resulted in the creation of more than 5,000 messages.
UW Health's journey began in April 2023, when a group of physicians at the organization embarked on a pilot program with Microsoft and Epic, aimed at integrating generative AI into clinical practice. The focus was on leveraging AI technologies to streamline patient interactions and improve operational efficiency.
Specifically, the generative AI, functioning as a large language model, is used to draft responses to patient inquiries and messages within MyChart, UW Health's patient portal. Subsequently, clinical team members, including nurses, review and edit these draft messages for accuracy, tone and relevance before sending them to patients.
Since the pilot program's inception, more than 75 nurses at UW Health have collectively generated more than 3,000 messages spanning across 30 departments while using generative AI.