Adoption of these tools has been unusually rapid for the healthcare industry, which often faces lengthy sales and implementation cycles, PHTI noted based on interviews with health system leaders, tech companies, and industry experts from its AI task force.
Addressing Burnout
The potential of AI scribes is significant for both health systems and clinicians. Providers have long struggled with a heavy administrative workload, which can extend into personal time and interfere with patient care.
According to the report, reducing clinician burnout is a “driving force” behind many health systems’ decisions to adopt these AI documentation products, especially with the ongoing workforce shortages.
The early results are promising.
In one pilot at Mass General Brigham, a participant in the AI task force, reported a 40% relative reduction in burnout after six weeks. Providers at MultiCare, based in Washington, reported a 63% reduction in burnout and a 64% improvement in work-life balance. “Ambient documentation has proven to be one of the most effective and impactful methods for enhancing the provider experience,” said Adam Landman, chief information officer at Mass General Brigham, in a statement.
Impact on Patient Care and Finances
According to health system leaders, AI scribes could also improve care, allowing physicians to focus on the patient instead of a computer screen. Research by the Permanente Medical Group found that 81% of surveyed patients reported that their physician spent less time looking at a computer screen when an AI scribe was used.
However, the report indicates no clear impact on financial metrics, such as the number of patients seen by providers or the accuracy of billing codes, is currently evident. According to the report, finances are often not the main reason for the implementation of a documentation tool.
Some health systems expect clinics could see increased patient volume as adoption of AI scribes grows — while others argue increased patient load could negate the tools’ positive impact on burnout.
Adoption Challenges and Usage
Actual usage of AI scribes varies among clinicians. According to the analysis, they typically fall into one of three groups: frequent users, occasional users, and those who rarely or never use the documentation assistant. Once a scribe is widely available, adoption rates range from 20% to 50% per the analysis.
