Nextech Unveils AI Virtual Assistant for Specialty Physician Practices

Nextech has unveiled three artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that will be added to its range of technology offerings for specialty physician practices.

The solutions include AI Assistant, AI Scribe and AI Support, with capabilities to improve both operational efficiency and the clinical and patient experience, the company said in a Friday (March 22) press release.

“Generative AI is a new and exciting tool to help us in our mission to simplify how our practices deliver excellent patient care,” Nextech CEO Bill Lucchini said in the release.

The new AI Virtual Assistant automates as much as 85% of routine conversations, including patient inquiries, scheduling and frequently asked questions, according to the release. It will be made available as a digital front door on practices’ websites.

Another new offering, Nextech’s AI Scribe, will automatically complete the patient chart within the existing framework of the company’s electronic health record (EHR), filter out non-medical parts of the conversation as the physician takes the patient’s history, and then enter the pertinent medical information into the clinical chart, the release said.

The third product, AI Support, will be built directly into Nextech’s software and will enable users to get instant answers to questions, per the release. Using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), it will automate access to support resources, creating greater efficiencies for staff.

“As we navigate the intersection of AI and healthcare, our product development team is acutely aware of the nuances between administrators seeking efficiency gains to patients valuing face to face interactions,” Dr. Jason Handza, chief medical officer at Nextech, said in the release. “Seeing these technologies develop has been an incredible experience — we love seeing that our clients are as excited as we are.”

PYMNTS Intelligence has found that while American consumers are cautious about the potential involvement of AI in their healthcare, 42% of them are at least somewhat interested in seeing the technology deployed in this sector.

Forty percent of consumers say that AI would help reduce mistakes, while 38% believe the technology will drive better outcomes for patients, according to “Generative AI Can Elevate Health and Revolutionize Healthcare,” a PYMNTS Intelligence and AI-ID collaboration.