Microsoft has unveiled Dragon Copilot, an AI assistant designed to help healthcare practitioners manage increasing workloads and address ongoing staffing shortages. This new tool combines the capabilities of Dragon Medical One’s natural language voice dictation with DAX Copilot’s ambient listening technology, aiming to free up clinicians’ time and reduce burnout.
The healthcare sector is facing significant challenges globally. The UK currently grapples with a backlog of 7.5 million patients on waiting lists, while burnout affects nearly half (48%) of clinicians in the US. Microsoft’s AI, designed with doctor input, seeks to alleviate some of these pressures.
Joe Petro, CVP of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms, stated, “With the launch of our new Dragon Copilot, we are introducing the first unified voice AI experience to the market, drawing on our trusted, decades-long expertise that has consistently enhanced provider wellness and improved clinical and financial outcomes for provider organizations and the patients they serve.”
Microsoft reports that its technological advancements have already contributed to a five-percentage-point reduction in US clinician burnout between 2023 and 2024. Dragon Copilot is designed to further automate administrative tasks and streamline documentation. The technology will also enable clinicians to conduct general-purpose medical information searches using trusted sources, assisting them during patient consultations.
The tool will become available to American and Canadian doctors in May 2025, with practitioners in the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands receiving access later.
Early results from the use of Microsoft’s technology are encouraging; the company reports that over three million ambient patient conversations have already been assisted across 600 healthcare organizations in the last month alone. Clinicians reported saving five minutes per encounter, experiencing reduced burnout and fatigue, and facilitating an improved overall patient experience.
