UTMB integrates OpenEvidence AI platform into clinical workflows
Photo courtesy of University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch has integrated the OpenEvidence artificial intelligence platform into its electronic health record, giving clinicians secure access to cited medical evidence within their existing workflows.
The collaboration was announced September 22, 2026. The integration went live at UTMB in March and was designed to provide AI-enabled information resources without requiring clinicians to switch between separate applications or create additional accounts.
Clinicians use their standard UTMB enterprise credentials to access OpenEvidence within the electronic health record environment. After signing in, they can ask clinical questions in natural language and receive responses that include citations to medical literature, clinical guidelines and other authoritative sources.
UTMB said more than half of its clinicians now actively use OpenEvidence for clinical decision support. The health system has also seen growth in both the number of clinicians using the platform and the volume of clinical queries submitted since the March launch.
“Healthcare has no shortage of promising AI tools. The harder challenge is making those tools genuinely usable in clinical practice while maintaining the security, governance, and trust that healthcare requires,” said Peter McCaffrey, MD, MS, FCAP, vice president and chief digital and AI officer at UTMB.
McCaffrey said the implementation gives clinicians access to AI-generated information with citations to medical literature and guidelines, adding that increased use suggests clinicians adopt tools more readily when they are integrated into existing work environments.
UTMB has hospitals on four campuses and more than 100 clinics across Southeast Texas. Through the integration, clinicians across the network can access the same evidence-based AI capabilities regardless of their location.
The deployment is part of UTMB’s broader strategy for responsibly incorporating AI into health care delivery. The university said it is developing an enterprise environment in which validated AI capabilities can be securely integrated into clinical and operational workflows, governed appropriately and evaluated through real-world use and impact.