Microsoft’s new AI-powered clinical assistant promises big productivity gins

Healthcare professionals are drowning in paperwork, spending more time wrestling with documentation than actually caring for patients. Microsoft's new Dragon Copilot is stepping in to change that. By merging its trusted voice dictation tech, Dragon Medical One (DMO), with the ambient AI capabilities of DAX Copilot - the software giant is giving clinicians an AI-powered assistant designed to lighten the load. The goal? To boost efficiency, reduce burnout, and improve patient experiences — all while keeping financial outcomes in check.

"At Microsoft, we have long believed that AI has the incredible potential to free clinicians from much of the administrative burden in healthcare," said Joe Petro, corporate vice president of Microsoft Health and Life Sciences Solutions and Platforms. With Dragon Copilot, Microsoft is setting a new standard for AI-driven clinical support, allowing doctors and nurses to focus on what truly matters: their patients.

How does it work?

Dragon Copilot isn't just another voice-to-text tool. It's an advanced AI-powered assistant that listens, understands, and acts on a clinician's spoken words. Here's what it brings to the table:

• Streamlined Documentation: Automatically generates detailed, multilanguage clinical notes, transcribes speech into structured reports, and formats documentation with personalized settings.
• Information at a Glance: Acts as an intelligent search assistant, pulling relevant medical data from trusted sources.
• Task Automation: Handles referral letters, after-visit summaries, clinical evidence summaries, and more — turning spoken commands into actionable tasks.

By integrating directly into electronic health records (EHR) and other healthcare systems, Dragon Copilot ensures that clinicians can work smarter, not harder. And it's already proving its worth — clinicians using the AI-powered documentation assistant report saving up to five minutes per patient encounter, a significant improvement in workflow efficiency.

Why does it matter?

Clinician burnout is a real and growing crisis. While the rate of burnout among U.S. doctors dipped slightly from 53% in 2023 to 48% in 2024, the challenges persist, fueled by administrative overload and an aging patient population. Health systems are turning to AI solutions to help alleviate the burden and improve access to care.

"With Dragon Copilot, we're not just enhancing how we work in the EHR — we're tapping into a Microsoft-powered ecosystem where AI assistance extends across our organization," said Dr. R. Hal Baker, senior vice president and chief digital and chief information officer at WellSpan Health.

The potential is game-changing: 70% of clinicians using the technology report feeling less burnt out, while 93% of patients say their overall experience improves.

The context

The healthcare industry has been inching toward AI-powered automation for years, but Dragon Copilot marks a significant leap forward. Microsoft's vast ecosystem of healthcare partners, including leading EHR providers and software vendors, ensures seamless integration and wide-scale adoption. The rollout starts in the U.S. and Canada in May, with Europe — including the U.K., Germany, France, and the Netherlands — set to follow shortly after.

For hospitals and clinics facing staff shortages and increasing patient demands, Dragon Copilot offers a lifeline. "We are thrilled to be one of the first customers in Canada to use Microsoft's ambient and generative AI technology," said Glen Kearns, EVP and CIO at The Ottawa Hospital. "The newest evolution of Dragon Copilot could help alleviate documentation burden for our clinical teams."

The AI behind Dragon Copilot is built with healthcare-specific safeguards, ensuring compliance with industry standards while adhering to Microsoft's responsible AI principles. Transparency, security, and reliability are at the core of this technology, making it a trusted tool in an industry where precision is paramount.