Taiwan Hospital Deploys AI Copilots to Lighten Workloads for Medical Staff

In a groundbreaking move, the Chi Mei Medical Center in Taiwan has harnessed the power of generative AI to alleviate the burden on its healthcare workers. 

Since November 2023, the hospital has rolled out multiple AI copilots, each tailored to different medical roles, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and nutritionists. These digital assistants have become indispensable allies, streamlining administrative tasks and enhancing patient care.

Chi Mei pharmacists have rated the copilot four to five stars out of a maximum of five stars.   

How AI Copilots Are Making a Difference:

1. Doctors: Physicians now use AI copilots to generate medical reports from admission and progress notes, saving precious time. These reports cover everything from diagnoses to treatment plans, allowing doctors to focus more on patient interactions and critical decision-making.
2. Nurses: Nurses have seen significant benefits as well. Their copilots help produce reports for shift changes and bed transfers, reducing documentation time from 10-20 minutes to under five minutes. This efficiency frees up nurses to provide more attentive care to patients.
3. Pharmacists: Approximately two-thirds of Chi Mei’s 95 pharmacists now rely on AI copilots. These digital assistants assist with tasks like drug interactions, dosage recommendations, and inventory management. By automating routine processes, pharmacists can dedicate more energy to patient safety and counseling.
4. Nutritionists: Copilots also aid nutritionists in creating personalized dietary recommendations. Rather than handing out generic brochures, they can now tailor advice to patients with multiple conditions, promoting better health outcomes.
5. Patient Safety: The A+ Patient Safety copilot identifies at-risk patients by analyzing keywords like “bed sores” or “low blood pressure.” It recommends extra safety measures to prevent falls and other adverse events.

Transforming Healthcare:

The integration of generative AI at Chi Mei Medical Center underscores the transformative potential of technology in healthcare. By lightening workloads and enhancing efficiency, AI copilots are not only improving the lives of medical staff but also elevating patient care across the board. As hospitals worldwide grapple with staffing shortages particularly acute in Taiwan and increasing demands, these digital allies offer hope for a more sustainable and effective healthcare system.

“In Taiwan, with an aging population and low birth rate, the biggest challenge is a shortage of manpower,” said Lin. Worse, “after the pandemic, fewer and fewer wanted to enter the medical profession.”   

Note: CMUH (Chi Mei Medical Center) has developed and deployed hundreds of AI algorithms, hosted on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, to aid in disease diagnosis and treatment.

Taiwan has only two doctors per 1,000 people versus the OECD average of 3.6, and 7.6 nurses per 1,000 people versus the OECD average of 8.9, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare and OECD data. 

Chi Mei Medical Center Introduces A+ Copilots to Enhance Healthcare Efficiency

In a forward-thinking move, Chi Mei Medical Center launched a series of AI copilots in November 2023, all prefixed with “A+.” These digital assistants are revolutionizing healthcare by supporting various roles, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and nutritionists. Let’s take a closer look:

1. A+ Doctor: Physicians can now generate medical reports based on their notes, review, edit, and confirm them within just 15 minutes. This streamlined process replaces the previous hour-long manual report writing.
2. A+ Nurse: Nurses benefit from faster shift change and bed transfer reports, reducing documentation time significantly. The copilot frees up nurses to focus on patient care.
3. A+ Pharmacist: Two-thirds of Chi Mei’s pharmacists rely on AI copilots for tasks like drug interactions, dosage recommendations, and inventory management. This efficiency allows pharmacists to prioritize patient safety and counseling.
4. A+ Nutritionist: Nutritionists receive personalized dietary recommendations for patients, tailored to specific conditions, thanks to their copilots.
5. A+ Patient Safety: This copilot identifies patients at risk of falls by analyzing keywords like “bed sores” or “low blood pressure.” It recommends additional safety measures to prevent accidents.

Upcoming Addition: A+ National Exam Review Copilot To support ongoing education requirements for doctors, Chi Mei is developing an A+ National Exam Review copilot. This tool will assist doctors in studying and maintaining their licenses.

Dr. Chia-Te Liao, a cardiologist and director of Chi Mei’s Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Health Policy, highlights the positive impact of these copilots on medical workflows. The future of healthcare is brighter with AI as a trusted ally!

Story source Microsoft By Chen May Yee