TL;DR:
- Startups in the healthcare industry are working on alleviating clinicians’ documentation workload.
- Suki, a Redwood City-based company, offers an AI-powered voice assistant for physicians to lighten their documentation burden.
- Suki’s voice assistant provides quick access to patient information and helps with tasks like clinical notes and scheduling.
- The assistant can generate clinical notes by listening to conversations between physicians and patients.
- Suki has integrations with over 100 health systems and serves more than 30 specialties.
- The company recently partnered with Epic, a top EHR vendor, to integrate its voice assistant into Epic’s system.
- Suki’s integration with Epic allows for seamless interaction through its HIPAA-compliant mobile app.
- EHR integration is crucial for success in the healthcare industry, according to Suki’s CEO.
- Suki distinguishes itself by being easier to integrate, more affordable, and offering 24/7 support.
- The company relies solely on technology for accuracy and doesn’t involve humans in transcription or other functions.
Main AI News:
The healthcare industry is witnessing a surge of startups dedicated to easing the documentation burden faced by clinicians. These companies aim to streamline workflows within electronic health records (EHRs) or employ automation to alleviate some of the workloads. Among them, Redwood City-based Suki stands out with its AI-powered voice assistant tailored specifically for physicians. In a recent interview, CEO Punit Soni likened Suki’s voice assistant to Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa but designed to meet the unique needs of doctors.
Suki’s voice assistant empowers physicians to swiftly access crucial patient information by simply summoning the assistant. This information encompasses a wide range of data, including medications, vital signs, allergies, and surgical histories. Additionally, physicians can rely on Suki to perform tasks such as dictating clinical notes, retrieving their weekly schedules, and assisting with ICD-10 coding. Notably, Suki recently made headlines by introducing a groundbreaking feature that generates clinical notes by ambiently listening to conversations between physicians and patients. These notes are then automatically transmitted to the patient’s EHR, ensuring that relevant sections are promptly updated.
Highlighting their success, Soni pointed out that over 100 health systems across more than 30 specialties currently utilize Suki’s assistant. These specialties span various domains, including family medicine, cardiology, pediatrics, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery. Suki’s collaboration with Epic, one of the leading EHR vendors, marks a significant milestone for the company.
Soni emphasized that in the healthcare industry, true success stems not solely from AI capabilities but from seamless EHR integrations. In fact, Suki employs a substantial number of engineers dedicated to EHR integration, surpassing those working on AI development. According to Soni, partnering with Epic is a clear indication of Suki’s commitment to establishing itself as a serious contender in the healthcare business landscape.
The integration between Suki and Epic holds particular significance due to its utilization of Epic’s ambient APIs. This integration allows doctors using Epic’s platform to engage with Suki’s assistant seamlessly through the company’s HIPAA-compliant mobile app, regardless of their location. Soni explained that Suki’s discrete data integration approach, combined with Epic’s ambient APIs, enables physicians to input data into the EHR while directly interacting with patients. Later, when they step away from the office, physicians can effortlessly transition to Suki’s mobile app and continue working on the remaining tasks. This flexibility ensures that their progress seamlessly syncs back into the EHR.
Founded in 2017, Suki faces competition from other companies seeking to simplify physicians’ lives through voice AI solutions. Notably, Nuance, a key competitor, was acquired by Microsoft for nearly $20 billion in 2021. Soni differentiates Suki by emphasizing its ease of integration and affordability, with prices starting at just $199 per user per month.
Furthermore, Suki distinguishes itself by offering 24/7 support and eliminating the need for special equipment. Unlike some competing startups, Suki relies solely on its technology without involving humans behind the scenes to transcribe dictated notes or perform similar functions. This exclusive reliance on technology contributes to improved accuracy, according to Soni.
Through its AI-powered voice assistant, Suki is revolutionizing the way physicians interact with EHRs, streamlining their workflows and ultimately enhancing patient care. With its strategic partnerships, commitment to EHR integrations, and focus on user-friendly solutions, Suki is poised to make a lasting impact in the healthcare industry.
Conlcusion:
Suki’s integration of its AI-powered voice assistant into leading EHR systems, such as Epic, signifies a significant advancement in the healthcare market. By addressing the critical issue of clinicians’ documentation workload, Suki aims to streamline workflows and enhance the efficiency of healthcare providers. The growing number of partnerships and integrations with prominent health systems positions Suki as a key player in the industry, offering a user-friendly and cost-effective solution for physicians. This development underscores the increasing demand for innovative technologies that optimize healthcare processes, presenting significant market opportunities for companies specializing in AI-powered voice assistants and EHR integrations.
