### Tech Giants Gather at HLTH Conference to Tackle Health-Care Administrative Burdens with AI

Nvidia, Google, Microsoft, and other leading tech companies are converging in Las Vegas for the highly anticipated HLTH conference, starting Sunday. The health-care technology event is expected to attract more than 12,000 industry leaders this year, with artificial intelligence (AI) solutions aimed at reducing administrative burdens taking center stage.

A significant focus of the conference will be on tools designed to alleviate the extensive documentation workload faced by doctors and nurses. This administrative burden is a leading cause of burnout, contributing to an expected nationwide shortage of 100,000 health-care workers by 2028, according to consulting firm Mercer. With the health-care market projected to reach $6.8 trillion in spending by the end of the decade, tech companies are eager to present their AI solutions.

Google is stepping up its efforts to combat administrative challenges in health care. The company recently announced the general availability of Vertex AI Search for Healthcare, which allows developers to create tools that facilitate quick searches across fragmented medical records. Google has also introduced new features within its Healthcare Data Engine to support generative AI applications. In a survey released by Google, clinicians reported spending nearly 28 hours a week on administrative tasks, with 91% expressing optimism about AI's potential to streamline these duties.

Microsoft is also making headlines with its latest AI initiatives. On October 11, the company unveiled a suite of tools designed to reduce administrative workloads for clinicians. These include medical imaging models, a health-care agent service, and automated documentation solutions for nurses. Microsoft's established automated documentation tool, DAX Copilot, utilizes AI to transcribe and summarize doctors' visits, freeing physicians from manually typing out notes. The tech giant's Nuance Communications subsidiary, acquired for $16 billion in 2021, is driving much of this innovation.

Nvidia is poised to make a significant impact at HLTH, with Kimberly Powell, the company's vice president of health care, scheduled to deliver a keynote on Monday. Powell will discuss how generative AI can help health-care professionals dedicate more time to patient care. Nvidia's GPUs, which power AI models like OpenAI's ChatGPT, have seen a dramatic rise in demand. Nvidia has also expanded partnerships with major companies such as Johnson & Johnson and GE HealthCare, reflecting its growing influence in the health-care sector.

Despite the promising advancements, many health systems are still in the early stages of evaluating AI tools and vendors. As excitement around administrative AI tools continues to build, tech companies must demonstrate their ability to address one of health care's most complex challenges effectively.