AI basics for physicians
Artificial intelligence can sound complex, but using the AI in Dragon Copilot doesn't require technical expertise. This unit explains AI concepts in plain language so physicians can understand how AI supports documentation.
AI terms
Dragon Copilot uses artificial intelligence to capture, interpret, and generate clinical content. Here are some basic AI terms used in Dragon Copilot:
Artificial intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that perform tasks which typically require human intelligence, such as understanding speech, making decisions, translating language, or recognizing patterns. AI systems learn from large amounts of data and follow algorithms to complete tasks. AI can work behind the scenes (like predictive text) or through direct interaction (like a chatbot or Copilot experience).
Machine learning: Machine learning is a subset of AI that uses large datasets to train algorithms and create models capable of tasks such as image recognition or language translation. These systems learn patterns from data and improve over time.
Large language models (LLMs): Large language models use machine learning to learn language patterns from vast amounts of text. They can answer questions, summarize information, translate languages, and produce human-like responses. Developers often fine-tune LLMs for specific use cases.
Conversational AI: Conversational AI enables computers to understand, interpret, and respond to human speech. Virtual assistants and chatbots are examples. Dragon Copilot uses conversational AI trained on billions of clinical narrative minutes to recognize clinical speech and generate clinically relevant output.
Generative AI: Generative AI creates new content by learning from patterns in existing data. For example, Dragon Copilot uses finely tuned generative AI to create accurate clinical notes, referral letters, after visit summaries, and other documentation.
Ambient AI: Ambient AI works unobtrusively in the background. In Dragon Copilot, ambient AI securely captures physician-patient conversations in real time, so physicians can focus on care while AI turns the conversation into high-quality documentation.
Responsible AI: Responsible AI ensures technologies are designed and used safely, ethically, and equitably. It covers system design, data handling, user experience, and access controls. Microsoft's AI solutions, including Dragon Copilot, adhere to responsible AI principles to ensure safety, privacy, and trust.
Copilot: A copilot is an AI-powered digital assistant that helps with tasks such as writing, summarizing, searching, and analyzing information. It responds to natural language and is built with responsible AI guardrails. Like a copilot in aviation, it assists the user, but the user remains in control.
Prompts: A prompt is an instruction (spoken, typed, or structured) that tells the AI what task to perform. In Dragon Copilot, verbalization best practices, specialty-specific outputs, and user input shape prompts to ensure content is generated accurately.
How AI works in Dragon Copilot
The AI in Dragon Copilot:
- Converts spoken conversations into text.
- Identifies relevant clinical information.
- Organizes documentation into structured notes.
- Creates a transcript of the physician-patient conversation.
- Assists with summaries and edits.
- Uses prompts to create new documents, answer questions, and provide guidance.
AI looks for patterns in language. It doesn't understand clinical intent the way humans do, which is why physician review is essential.
High-level Dragon Copilot workflow
- Dragon Copilot captures the physician-patient conversation through ambient recording.
- The AI applies finely tuned data models to process the recorded audio.
- The AI generates structured documentation.
Several factors influence Dragon Copilot's output, including:
Verbalization. What the physician says and how they say it impacts the AI output. When a physician follows verbalization best practices, they achieve better results and spend less time editing.
Specialty and role settings. Each primary specialty has settings that apply when the AI model analyzes the input. This configuration includes verbiage, sections, and other formatting. Set your primary specialty when you open Dragon Copilot for the first time. You can always change this setting later.
Style and format preferences. Set style and formatting preferences in Settings
. Select bulleted list versus paragraphs or a customizable template for each note section. Dragon Copilot uses style and format preferences as a guide to build the AI-generated summary.
AI features
Physicians can use prompts in the Dragon Copilot chat box to ask questions, summarize a note, make edits, add context, or generate other documentation like patient instructions or referral letters.
In simple terms, Dragon Copilot acts like a clinical assistant, listening, interpreting, and generating documentation to help physicians work more efficiently.
Effective and responsible use
Dragon Copilot is designed to support, not replace, your clinical workflow. These best practices can help you use AI responsibly and effectively.
- Speak naturally when using ambient recording.
- Include relevant context as you speak so the AI can accurately capture the encounter.
- Review the AI output for patient context and clinical accuracy.
- Use your clinical judgment on AI-generated notes and documents before signing.
Key takeaway
AI prepares a draft. Physicians apply their professional expertise to ensure accuracy, clarity, and clinical intent.