Meditech, Google partner to bring generative AI to EHRs

Google and Meditech are collaborating to introduce generative artificial intelligence (AI) into Electronic Health Records (EHRs), with a focus on improving various healthcare processes. Originally, the partnership centered on cloud-based medical records and EHR search functions, but it has now shifted towards AI applications.

Meditech is exploring generative AI's potential for automating patient discharge summaries, nursing shift change reports, and consolidating patient medical records. Google's Med-PaLM 2 healthcare AI chatbot will also be integrated to assist healthcare providers with patient-specific inquiries.

The anticipated benefits of this collaboration include time savings, improved note quality, concise narratives, reduced errors, and more timely transfer of discharge documents.

Google is expanding its presence in healthcare through generative AI collaborations with organisations like HCA Healthcare, Hackensack Meridian Health, and Bayer Pharmaceuticals. HCA, for example, is implementing this technology to document emergency room visits and streamline nurse handoffs at select hospitals.