In a move sure to shake the fast-growing radiology reporting segment, Microsoft has begun notifying customers that it is retiring its PowerScribe 360 software and will end renewal and maintenance in August in favor of its newer cloud-based PowerScribe One reporting technology.
Microsoft began sending “end-of-life” letters to its customer base last week, confirming rumors circulating for months that it was backing away from PowerScribe 360.
- Microsoft is recommending that PowerScribe 360 customers transition to PowerScribe One, a newer cloud-based reporting solution available on a subscription basis rather than as an on-premises installation, as is the case with PowerScribe 360.
The company confirmed the news in an email to The Imaging Wire…
“Microsoft is retiring the on-premises product, PowerScribe 360, as part of a broader effort to ensure our customers continue to benefit from secure, future-ready solutions like PowerScribe One – which has cloud and AI capabilities at its core. This transition reflects our broader focus on providing solutions that empower healthcare organizations to meet the demands of modern care delivery securely and at scale. We are working closely with our customers to ensure a smooth transition.”
The news marks the end of the road for PowerScribe 360, which was originally developed by Nuance Communications and rose to become the dominant reporting solution for radiologists.
- Nuance launched PowerScribe 360 at RSNA 2010, and radiologists quickly adopted the technology, drawn to its improved speech recognition accuracy and structured reporting templates. Soon the company held 75% of the U.S. market for radiology reporting solutions.
Nuance introduced PowerScribe One in 2018 as the next generation of the software. Three years later Nuance was acquired by Microsoft and folded into Microsoft’s healthcare business.
- Microsoft’s strategy was to transition PowerScribe 360 users to PowerScribe One, which not only included newer tools but was also cloud-based with a regular subscription fee. This reportedly alienated many radiology customers who had already paid to have an on-premises reporting solution.
Indeed, it only took a few years for rumors to begin circulating that Microsoft was looking to sunset PowerScribe 360 (despite many existing users), as evidenced by a recent Reddit thread on the topic.
- Last week’s EOL notifications inform customers that PowerScribe is being retired “as part of a broader effort to ensure our customers continue to benefit from secure, modern, and future ready solutions.”
The letter goes on to state that PowerScribe users will need to convert to the latest version of PowerScribe One. This will require monthly payments even if they already “owned” PowerScribe 360.
- What’s more, pricing agreements with Nuance or Microsoft will no longer be valid after the renewal date, and Microsoft will no longer provide support after the end-of-life date.
The news comes as radiology reporting is being transformed by new technology, particularly solutions driven by generative AI with large language models.
- Multiple startups are leveraging dissatisfaction with legacy solutions to offer reporting applications that promise more efficient workflow, and some offer better integration with image viewers and worklists to give radiologists a more unified reading experience.
We’re also seeing a growing number of major PACS players announce new reporting solutions or outline future plans to add reporting capabilities, further complicating the market.
The Takeaway
The news that Microsoft is pulling the plug on PowerScribe 360 isn’t a surprise given the software’s age, persistent rumors of its demise, and Microsoft’s strategic focus on PowerScribe One. But it clears the field for what’s sure to be a scramble for the reporting application’s large market share.
