Two technology giants are venturing further into healthcare technology with a medical records program pilot study and a big bet on artificial intelligence.
Google is testing a consumer-facing medical records tool similar to Apple’s Health Records app, according to medical news outlet STAT. It is kicking off an early-stage user feedback program aimed at determining how people prefer to interact with their own medical data.
The study project, open to 300 Android users, follows the passage of a federal information blocking rule, allowing individuals to access their medical records via health apps, the news outlet reported. The company also is conducting a provider-facing project called Care Studio in which it is testing technology that helps clinicians better navigate patients’ medical records. Two health institutions, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and hospital chain Ascension, are part of that pilot program, STAT reported. Ascension also has a senior living and care division.
Microsoft, meanwhile, plans to purchase speech technology company Nuance Communications in a bet on provider-facing software to help reduce the need for manual note-taking. Nuance will be tasked with using Siri voice technology to help capture patient-doctor conversations and transcribe them into the electronic health record, Bloomberg has reported.
Microsoft has been selling more cloud software to hospitals and doctors, according to the news outlet. The company also may incorporate Nuance’s products into products such as its Teams chat app for telehealth appointments, Bloomberg reported.
