Rajesh Patel, MD, demonstrates his use of Dragon Medical 360.

Since February, the BWHC Dragon team has taught more than 800 providers how to train their Dragon—that is, how to use the voice-recognition software Dragon Medical 360.

The application replaces traditional dictation and provides an efficient alternative to typing—empowering providers to deliver more accurate documentation without disrupting workflows. The result: a more efficient, improved experience with Epic, which ultimately allows providers to spend more time with patients.

Dragon can automate Epic workflows, such as SmartPhrases, orders, launching clinical reference tools and other applications (e.g., paging).  Benefits to using Dragon include reduced documentation burden, improved dictation efficiency and a decrease in documentation turnaround time. By teaming up with Nuance’s certified Dragon trainers, the BWHC Dragon team has been able to offer personalized on-site training and elbow-to-elbow support.

BWH clinicians such as Matthew Kim, MD, of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, described the transition from phone dictation to Dragon voice recognition as positive and seamless.

“Most of the providers in our division who’ve adopted it have found that they’re able to complete dictations with high degrees of accuracy and minimal need for editing and correction,” Kim said. “The integration of voice-activated order sets may also help to increase our overall efficiency and productivity. We’re hoping that, over time, the advantages offered by this system will encourage more of our trainees to take on the challenge of learning to dictate in practice.”

By using Dragon, providers are able to dictate at their desks, in the clinics and soon in the operating rooms.  The freedom to dictate whenever and wherever, across multiple platforms (including Epic, Microsoft Office suite and PowerPath), attributes to the program’s continued success and expansion.

Dragon training will continue through the remainder of 2016 with Nuance-certified trainers. The BWHC Partners eCare team will take over Dragon training in January 2017. All providers who complete classroom training and personalization will receive a free headset. Attending physicians are also eligible this year for a free PowerMic III.

To learn more about using Dragon Medical 360 at BWH, visit the BWPO intranet. For more information or to submit questions, email BWHCdragon@partners.org.