Microsoft announces the private preview of its new health bot project

Microsoft, like many technology companies are looking to place significant investment in the healthcare sector due to its untapped potential to be revolutionised.

The launch of Microsoft’s Healthcare NExT initiative has seen the company go from strength to strength in the development of new tools and technologies to support and empower healthcare professionals, and have now announced the private preview of its new AI powered project, where new partners can participate.

Embedded with authoritative medical content, the healthcare bots are HIPAA compliant, and will interact with customers who want to gain essential health information surrounding their health ailments. This is on top of supporting patients in accessing their symptoms, enable the ability to book appointments and receive vital information surrounding future treatment.

“If you’re using a health bot built by one of our partners as part of our project, you can interact in a personal way, typing or talking in natural language and receiving information to help answer your health-related questions,” Microsoft said.

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Partnering with Aurora Health Care, Microsoft has supported the development of the Aurora Digital Concierge to further see the implementation of exceptional patient care.  The healthcare provider works strenuously to serve communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, and has 15 hospitals, 70 pharmacies and over 150 clinics under its umbrella.

Additionally, Microsoft has partnered with Premera Blue Cross, who will use the technology to support and make patients aware of their health benefits, as well as the expansive University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), who are all utilising this new AI technology to transform the healthcare industry. Recently, UPMC announced a $2bn investment in three, world class specialty hospitals focused on cancer, rehabilitation and transplants.

“Aurora Health Care is focused on delivering a seamless experience for our consumers and the health bot allows us to therefore introduce technology to make that happen,” commented Jamey Shiels, Vice President Digital Experience, Aurora Health Care.

“The use of AI allows us to leverage technology to meet consumers where they are; online, mobile, chat, text, and to help them navigate the complexity of healthcare.”