In this article, Oracle introduced a new electronic health record on Tuesday, marking its most significant health-care product update since acquiring Cerner for $28 billion in 2022. An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s medical history that healthcare providers update over time. While EHR software can be complex, it has become a crucial part of the U.S. healthcare system.
Oracle’s latest EHR features cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance usability. The system eliminates menus and drop-down screens, allowing doctors to access information by voice commands. This innovation aims to streamline record retrieval, enabling doctors to focus more on patient care. Seema Verma, Oracle Health and Life Sciences’ executive vice president, described the new EHR as akin to having a personal assistant rather than just a scribe.
The introduction of Oracle’s new EHR is expected to strengthen its position in the competitive EHR market. In contrast, Oracle faced challenges in maintaining market share, with Epic Systems being its primary competitor. Cerner contributed $5.9 billion to Oracle’s revenue in fiscal 2023, while Epic generated $4.9 billion in revenue the previous year.
The development of the new EHR began after Oracle’s acquisition of Cerner. The system was built independently of Cerner’s infrastructure, requiring current Cerner customers to decide whether to transition to the new platform. Suhas Uliyar, Oracle’s senior vice president for product management in clinical and healthcare AI, demonstrated the new EHR’s features in a virtual demo for CNBC.
The browser-based EHR interface offers a simple design, allowing doctors to use voice commands for various queries. Physicians can access patient information, including AI-generated summaries and detailed medical histories. The system’s AI capabilities enable doctors to ask patient-specific questions and receive prompt, accurate responses.
The EHR’s AI adapts to the doctor’s habits and can provide detailed information on medications, treatments, and patient history. Doctors can verify AI-generated answers by accessing the original records referenced. Oracle has integrated features like the Clinical AI Agent into the new EHR to enhance user experience.
The Clinical AI Agent automates documentation tasks for physicians, generating clinical notes based on patient visits. Oracle aims to expand this tool to benefit nurses as well. The new EHR includes the Clinical AI Agent and will be available for early adopters next year. Oracle plans to collaborate with customers to customize the EHR implementation process.
Oracle’s shift to cloud-based solutions is expected to simplify the EHR implementation for healthcare providers. Verma expressed confidence in the new EHR’s potential to address longstanding healthcare challenges, emphasizing its disruptive impact on the market.
