Dragon Copilot slashes clinician workload with Microsoft 365 integration
Nuance has expanded its Dragon Copilot tool to help clinicians find patient information more efficiently. The system now integrates with Microsoft 365 Copilot, pulling relevant data directly into clinical workflows. This aims to cut down the time doctors and nurses spend searching for scattered records across emails, Teams, and other platforms.
The update was announced at HIMSS 2026, alongside new discounts for rural hospitals in the U.S.
Clinicians often waste valuable time manually tracking down patient details from different systems. This process disrupts daily routines and can affect confidence in decision-making. Dragon Copilot addresses the issue by using patient and encounter context to locate the right information quickly.
The tool searches across Microsoft 365 applications, including emails, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. It only shows data that users are authorised to see, respecting existing privacy and governance rules. No new security risks are introduced, as the system follows healthcare's strict compliance and patient privacy standards.
A private preview is now open for existing Dragon Copilot customers using Microsoft 365 Copilot. This lets them test the feature and share feedback before wider release. The tool also supports role-specific workflows for physicians, nurses, and radiologists, with functions like ambient listening and automated documentation.
Pilot programmes in UK clinics and U.S. hospitals have already shown a drop in administrative workload. The system integrates with clinical resources like UpToDate, further streamlining information access.
Availability has expanded to nine countries, including the U.S., Canada, UK, and several EU nations. A partnership announced on March 3, 2026, offers U.S. rural hospitals a 60% discount through the Rural Health Resiliency Program.
Dragon Copilot now combines clinical intelligence with organisational knowledge in a single workflow. The tool reduces manual searches while maintaining strict data security and privacy controls. Hospitals testing the system report less administrative burden, with broader rollouts expected following the preview phase.
