Epic Releases Native AI Charting for Integrated Clinical Documentation

Epic has officially launched AI Charting, a native feature embedded within its electronic health record that listens to patient visits and automatically drafts clinical notes and orders. The release represents a significant shift in the competitive landscape for ambient clinical documentation, particularly for venture-backed companies offering standalone AI scribe solutions.

AI Charting is part of a broader suite of Epic artificial intelligence tools branded as Art for clinicians, Penny for revenue cycle operations, and Emmie for patients. Unlike third-party ambient scribes that typically function as separate applications or overlays, Epic’s AI is fully integrated into the core platform. This allows the system to draw on the patient’s complete longitudinal medical record while generating documentation in real time.

Clinicians using AI Charting can issue voice commands to restructure notes, such as requesting sections to be converted into bulleted lists, and the system can also queue clinical orders based on the encounter. This tighter connection between listening, documentation, and action is difficult for external tools to replicate without extensive and costly integrations into the EHR. “Feedback has been very positive, and we’re iterating quickly based on what clinicians tell us works best,” said Corey Miller, Vice President of R&D at Epic.

The release has broad implications for the ambient AI market. Health system leaders are now reassessing the value of maintaining separate contracts with companies such as Abridge, Ambience, and Nabla, particularly when Epic is offering a native alternative that may be viewed as sufficiently capable for many use cases. Cost considerations are central, as ambient AI contracts can reach millions of dollars annually. Security is another factor, since native tools reduce the need to transmit patient audio to third-party cloud environments, lowering the overall cybersecurity exposure. Operational simplicity also plays a role, with fewer vendors translating into fewer contracts and integrations to manage.

For standalone vendors, Epic’s move raises the bar for differentiation. Incremental improvements may no longer be enough; instead, these companies must demonstrate capabilities that significantly exceed Epic’s offering, such as handling highly specialized clinical workflows or delivering distinct productivity gains that a general-purpose native tool cannot.

Epic’s AI strategy extends beyond documentation. Penny is being deployed to automate revenue cycle functions, with more than 200 organizations reportedly using it for coding automation and seeing a 20% reduction in claim denials. Emmie, integrated into MyChart, serves as a conversational assistant that helps patients schedule appointments and manage payments, escalating to human staff only when necessary.

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