Microsoft has unveiled Copilot Health, a dedicated and secure platform within its Copilot service, designed to assist users with healthcare inquiries. This innovative feature allows individuals to delve into their lab results, medical records, and even search for healthcare providers. Users can also analyze data from wearable devices and engage in other health-related conversations. While the rollout will be gradual, eager participants can join a waitlist to gain early access.

It’s important to note that Microsoft emphasizes Copilot Health is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Instead, it serves as an aid in interpreting health data. Users can import medical records from an impressive network of over 50,000 hospitals and healthcare organizations across the United States through HealthEx. Additionally, lab test results can be integrated via Function. The service is compatible with more than 50 wearable devices, including popular brands like Apple, Oura, and Fitbit. The Copilot Health homepage can display wearable data, such as step count, and remind users of upcoming medical appointments, depending on the data they choose to share.

Moreover, Copilot Health facilitates the search for medical professionals by accessing real-time directories of US healthcare providers. This feature allows users to find specialists based on criteria like location, language, and insurance compatibility.

Microsoft highlights that it has enhanced the quality and reliability of the information in Copilot Health by incorporating data from credible health organizations across 50 countries. The responses generated will be accompanied by citations and links to reputable sources, including expert-written answer cards from Harvard Health.

Ensuring user privacy, Microsoft assures that conversations within Copilot Health are kept separate from the general Copilot service and are safeguarded by additional privacy and security measures. Importantly, the data from these interactions is not utilized for training AI models. Users maintain control over their information and can delete their health data or disconnect from data sources, such as wearable devices, at their discretion.

Interestingly, this announcement comes in the wake of OpenAI’s launch of a similar feature, ChatGPT Health, earlier this year. Like Copilot Health, ChatGPT offers a secure environment for medical discussions and does not use these interactions for AI training. However, at this stage, Microsoft has not released a HIPAA-compliant version of Copilot Health, unlike ChatGPT for Healthcare and Amazon’s Health AI, which recently expanded its user base. Similarly, Anthropic’s Claude for Healthcare is also “HIPAA-ready,” highlighting a competitive landscape in digital health solutions.

When asked about HIPAA compliance in a briefing ahead of Thursday’s announcement, Dr. Dominic King, VP of health at Microsoft AI, stated: “HIPAA is not required for a direct-consumer experience like this when you’re using your own data.” The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act includes security requirements for protecting patients’ electronic health data and prohibits certain types of its usage and disclosure. Violators of HIPAA can face fines and potentially even a prison sentence. Since companies like Microsoft aren’t legally required to be HIPAA compliant, they’re not subject to the consequences that a hospital or doctor might face for violating a patient’s HIPAA rights. King added, “However, at Copilot, we think it’s incredibly important that we’re meeting all the best standards out there. So, we will be announcing some updates here on our standing in terms of what are called ‘HIPAA controls.’” King did not elaborate on what that exactly entails.

King also noted that Copilot Health has an ISO 42001 certification. ISO 42001 is an independent, international standard for AI systems that’s intended to promote “responsible use of AI” as well as “traceability, transparency, and reliability.” Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat also have this certification.

However, even with that certification and any future intentions for voluntary HIPAA compliance, users may still want to be cautious about sharing their medical data with an AI. As experts have pointed out, AI companies can change their data privacy policies at any time. AI also has a history of giving users inaccurate or unsafe medical advice, and has an especially concerning track record when it comes to mental health.