EHR integration drives ambient speech purchasing decisions

Nuance, Abridge lead with Epic integration and flexibility

Nuance and Abridge were the vendors most considered and selected in the data sample. Respondents highlighted the vendors' Epic Workshop partnerships, which support Epic integration of ambient speech technology.

Interviewed Epic organizations (who made up 56% of the report's data sample) said that EHR integration of ambient speech technology is highly beneficial.

Nuance (a Microsoft company) was considered in almost 80% of validated purchase decisions. The vendor is well-established in the clinical documentation intelligence and dictation markets, with products such as Dragon Medical One.

In fact, 21 organizations said their existing relationship with Nuance was a primary reason for considering its ambient speech product. Ultimately, 14 of these organizations implemented the tool.

Microsoft's acquisition of Nuance is also a significant consideration factor for organizations, with several respondents indicating confidence in the product's future due to Microsoft's reputation and resources.

Organizations that considered but did not choose Nuance most often said cost was a barrier to implementation.

Epic organizations who selected Abridge's ambient speech offering noted its maturity and functionality, including auditing features. Several respondents also said Abridge's competitive pricing was a reason for selection.

Organizations appreciate that Abridge is a physician-led vendor, which helps the company better understand clinician needs. Further, a few respondents reported that since Abridge is a newer company, they found the vendor highly flexible and accommodating.

Two non-Epic organizations assessed but did not select Abridge as they felt other ambient speech products would support better EHR integration.

Suki favored for EHR integration and cost

Healthcare organizations considering Suki view the tool as a cost-effective option that can integrate with several EHRs. Two respondents chose Suki because they are a Meditech Alliance partner, which supports strong EHR integration. Two other organizations using Athenahealth EHRs also cited integration as a key distinction for Suki.

Augmedix (recently acquired by Commure) is also considered for integration with Meditech, as respondents said the EHR vendor recommends the technology to its customers.

Two respondents considered the Augmedix Go product because of the vendor's hybrid offering, Augmedix Assist, which includes a quality assurance specialist who reviews AI-generated notes prior to submission.

Several Oracle Health EHR customers considered the vendor's new Clinical Digital Assistant product for its embedded EHR integration. Two respondents indicated that because the product is newer than others in the marketplace, they will wait to see how well Oracle Health delivers on the solution's promised functionality before implementation.

While interviewed organizations using Epic and Oracle Health EHRs considered various vendors, most of these respondents ultimately chose an Epic Workshop partner or Oracle Health's homegrown solution for strong integration.

Nabla stands out for user experience

Customers highlighted Nabla's ambient speech product for its usability. Four organizations that opted for the tool reported easy onboarding and physician satisfaction with the tool. Other organizations that selected Nabla noted the system's price point and strong performance.

Most organizations that selected Ambience Healthcare's offering said the positive sales experience and impressive product demo partly influenced their decision. These respondents also said that the product meets their expectations regarding note quality, turnaround time, language capabilities and EHR integration.

DeepScribe began in the virtual scribing market before launching its ambient speech tool. Several interviewed organizations said familiarity with the vendor's virtual scribing offering was a reason for exploring DeepScribe's ambient speech product.

Recently spun off from 3M, Solventum has experience in the documentation market that contributes to customer considerations. The vendor's ambient speech tool, Solventum Fluency Align, is complementary to their dictation solution, Solventum Fluency Direct. Respondents cited this as either a reason for consideration or for not selecting the vendor.

One organization considered the ambient speech tool due to its existing vendor relationship. Other survey respondents already had a dictation solution and did not want to switch to Solventum Fluency Direct if they chose Solventum's ambient speech solution, leading them to move forward with other companies.

Hannah Nelson has been covering news related to health information technology and health data interoperability since 2020.