UMass Memorial taps Accenture, Microsoft for data and AI overhaul
- UMass Memorial Health announced the Accenture and Microsoft initiative on Oct. 15.
- Its EHR and clinical, operational and research data will move to Microsoft Azure.
- Accenture will introduce agentic AI tools to automate complex workflows.
- UMass Memorial has more than 20,000 caregivers and 2,400 physicians.
MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES — UMass Memorial Health is moving its electronic health record (EHR) data and other key systems to Microsoft Azure in a multiyear initiative with Microsoft and Accenture, which will add agentic artificial intelligence (AI) tools to automate complex workflows.
The Worcester health system aims to cut patients’ length of stay and the administrative burden on its caregivers.
One connected platform replaces siloed reporting
A unified data platform built on Microsoft Azure will replace siloed reporting systems and support more advanced analytics across the organization, the health system said in an Oct. 15 announcement.
The EHR will move to Azure along with UMass Memorial’s clinical, operational and research data, bringing them into one connected platform.
Accenture will introduce agentic AI tools to automate complex workflows and uncover insights that previously required significant manual effort.
The organizations expect the work to improve speed, quality and security while lowering long-term infrastructure costs.
“Bringing our data together and moving key systems to the cloud will give caregivers faster access to the information they need and create a better experience for the patients we serve,” said Dr. Eric Dickson, president and chief executive officer of UMass Memorial Health.
Research access, security and undisclosed terms
Over time, the platform will support greater data sharing and research collaboration with UMass Chan Medical School, for which UMass Memorial serves as the clinical partner.
Microsoft’s integrated security platform will help protect sensitive healthcare information while supporting compliance, governance and secure data sharing.
The organizations did not disclose the financial terms or a specific timeline for completing the initiative, Becker’s Hospital Review reported.
UMass Memorial is the largest not-for-profit health system in Central Massachusetts, with more than 20,000 caregivers and 2,400 physicians.
“This work is grounded in a simple idea: when healthcare providers have better access to insights, they deliver better care,” said Mike Weissel, global health lead at Accenture.
What health system leaders should weigh
For health systems, the deal hands cloud migration and workflow automation to outside partners, a form of healthcare outsourcing that reaches beyond billing and coding.
Leaders planning similar projects can ask partners which back office tasks agentic tools will take off caregivers’ desks, and who governs patient data once it moves to the cloud.
They can compare partners on the top healthcare outsourcing companies in the United States list.
Related news
- Corewell to outsource more ER staffing to TeamHealth: report · 16 Oct
- Health execs rank IT a top priority but demand AI returns: Bain · 1 Oct
- Health systems lean into outsourcing to cut costs · 5 Sep
Disclosure: Outsource Accelerator uses AI tools in the backend of its editorial workflow. Every article is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.
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