Narayana Health Introduces AI Tool Aira to Improve Patient Records

Narayana Health has recently launched Aira, an AI-powered documentation tool built on its in-house Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Athma platform. The tool is designed to cut paperwork for doctors and improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Devi Shetty, founder and chairman of Narayana Health, said most hospitals across the world continue to lack digital medical records, including in developed nations. “80% of hospitals across the world don’t have EMR. Even in places like the UK or Australia many hospitals still depend on paper,” he said, noting that older technologies remain rigid.

He explained the need for a common backbone in digital healthcare. “There has to be a platform, like iOS or Android, where different applications can plug in. Otherwise, tools to manage diabetes or heart failure won’t work in isolation,” he said.

On Aira’s impact, Shetty said it could improve efficiency in India’s healthcare system. “Instead of seeing a patient twice for tests and follow-up, it can be reduced to one shorter visit. That means doctors can see nearly twice the number of patients, while also preventing errors such as prescribing drugs unsafe for kidney patients,” he said.

Athma, Narayana’s technology arm, has implemented its digital solutions across hospitals, clinics, labs, and pharmacies in India and overseas.

Reportedly, Aira will be deployed across India, Malaysia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, and the Cayman Islands. 

Shetty said artificial intelligence can help reduce errors and cut costs. “There are millions of data points coming from everywhere, and we are constantly worried we are missing something. AI, however, can do all this and present it in a manner that allows doctors to access maximum information about the patient in the quickest possible time. More than anything else, AI will prevent doctors from making mistakes and will double or triple their productivity. They will become more efficient in treating patients properly, and errors will be reduced. In the process, costs will go down dramatically because whenever productivity increases, cost goes down,” he said.

The company said Aira can be adopted by hospitals of any size. Alongside Aira, Narayana Health has also developed Aadi (for doctors), Namah (for nurses), and Aham (for administrators) to support healthcare delivery.

Jagadeesh Ramasamy, Head of Products at Athma, said, “By leveraging predictive analytics and continuous monitoring, we are enabling hospitals to prevent crises before they happen — shifting the focus from emergency response to early intervention.”

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