Tech company Salesforce announced it is launching a new healthcare AI assistant, Einstein Copilot, which delivers responses based on a healthcare organization’s private data. 

The AI assistant will trigger workflows that send referrals, book appointments and other administrative tasks.

Salesforce also announced the release of Assessment Generation and Data Cloud for Health, which allows caregivers to automate and streamline clinical summaries, personalize communication, and tailor patient assessments quicker. 

The new resources are powered by Salesforce’s Einstein 1 platform, which helps organizations leverage data to create better patient experiences and augment employee productivity. 

"These new data, AI and CRM features help reduce the administrative and operational burden for healthcare providers and care teams, leading to better outcomes for their patients. And with Salesforce’s trusted AI, healthcare organizations excited about generative AI – but nervous about clinical and security concerns – can confidently use these innovations in their everyday workflows," Amit Khanna, senior vice president and general manager for health, said in a statement. 

THE LARGER TREND

A study from McKinsey claims that nearly 25% of U.S. healthcare spending is wasted on administrative costs, which represents $320 billion in potential savings. 

Patients are becoming increasingly interested in AI applications for healthcare as well. 

According to the Lancet, patients are becoming interested in how AI can impact not only nonclinical tasks, but also potential risks in clinical administration.

The aim of this new technology launch is to use AI in administrative and operational tasks in order to free up providers so they can spend more time with patients. 

Salesforce’s AI assistant is set to compete with AI chatbot Microsoft Azure, AI assistant IBM Watsonx Assistant and Juji AI Healthcare assistant, and will be available in the summer of 2024.

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