DRH Health expanding AI technology into clinical documentation

DRH Health in Duncan, Oklahoma, will be applying artificial intelligence to clinical documentation across its hospitals and clinics due to a new partnership.

The regional health system will team with healthcare technology company Commure to overhaul its clinical documentation with AI capabilities and improve MEDITECH-integrated workflow efficiency across its care network.

The organization will implement ambient AI to alleviate administrative burden for clinicians, improve documentation accuracy and enable more time for patient-centric direct care, it said.

DRH Health is a 128-bed nonprofit regional system with two hospitals and 20 specialty care clinics.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT 

The health system said it decided to pursue the technology due to its ability to deliver measurable impact across both hospital-based and outpatient care settings.

Early adopters have seen documentation time reduced by up to 90 minutes per provider per day and chart completion accelerated to within 24 hours of each encounter, the organization said.

By integrating into DRH Health’s MEDITECH Expanse Electronic Health Record, ambient AI streamlines clinical documentation, optimizes workflows and supports faster, more consistent chart completion, the organizations said. 

“Across our hospitals and clinics, we see how documentation demands can limit the time clinicians have to connect with their patients,” said Roger Neal, vice president and chief operating officer at DRH Health. “For a regional system like ours, it’s an important investment in both our people and the patients we serve.”

THE LARGER TREND 

Artificial intelligence and consumer-centric healthcare services are leading to a change in healthcare. Analysts are expecting $1 trillion of annual healthcare spending to shift away from fragmented, infrastructure-heavy models and toward empowered "super consumers" and a digital-first system of care, according to September PwC analysis.

Eighty-eight percent of health systems are using artificial intelligence internally, but just 18% have a mature governance structure and fully formed AI strategy, according to an August report from the Healthcare Financial Management Association and market research company Eliciting Insights.

Governance is lacking despite the fact that 71% of survey respondents have identified and deployed pilot or full AI solutions in finance, revenue cycle management or clinical functional areas.

The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare is gaining popularity among physicians, found a February survey from the American Medical Association, though many remain guarded in their enthusiasm due to lingering concerns.

The HIMSS AI & Cybersecurity Virtual Forum is free to attend on Nov. 18. Learn more and register.