Microsoft has announced it is building Cloud for Health Care, a bundled customised solution for healthcare providers. The software is designed to help doctors securely schedule and perform virtual appointments and is expected to be available later this year.
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The new solution will incorporate existing Microsoft products, such as the Azure cloud and the Teams communication app. It will also be compatible with many existing apps and electronic health records (EHR).
From 19 May the software is available to customers in public
preview with a six-month free trial. According to CNBC, it is not yet clear how
the pricing for the bundle will differ from the standard fee for individual
products included. More information on this is expected in autumn, when the
product is launched.
With the
new software, the patient’s journey may start with a healthcare provider’s website,
where a chatbot would answer initial questions. Then, the patient is
transferred to a service agent for further clarification and scheduling of a virtual
appointment with a relevant healthcare professional (eg, over Microsoft
Teams video chat). All the
data collected will be available onsite if a follow-up visit in person is
needed. In other words, the system, which builds on Dynamics 365 with
customisable templates and data connections, will enable hospitals to manage
the full patient-engagement lifecycle.
Specifically, the bundle will work with communications tools,a patient engagement portal (appointment bookings,
physician referrals, medical forms and virtual assistants), a patient
management app for call centre staff, and a scheduling
and screening template for patients with COVID-19.
You can watch a demo here, or learn more
here.
Sources: Microsoft, CNET, Reuters, CNBC
Image credit: LeoWolfert
via iStock
