Ambient AI technology can reduce documentation burden for health care providers

Researchers at Sutter Well being, led by Cheryl Stults, Ph.D., discovered that an revolutionary ambient synthetic intelligence platform confirmed promising ends in easing the burden of scientific documentation for well being care suppliers. The research, printed as we speak in JAMA Community Open, revealed important reductions in documentation time and improved total clinician satisfaction. It additionally highlights the know-how’s potential to deal with long-standing challenges within the medical career.

Key findings embody:

Time financial savings: Clinicians skilled a big lower in time spent on notes per appointment, decreasing their workload. Imply time in notes per appointment decreased from 6.2 to five.3 minutes (p<0.001). Improved well-being: Use of ambient AI led to a marked discount in psychological demand, together with feeling rushed and perceived problem in documentation duties. Enhanced job satisfaction: General satisfaction with work improved, and a few reductions in burnout had been noticed (42.1% to 35.1%, p=0.12). One survey respondent stated, "I'm going house glad. It is [bringing] again the enjoyment of drugs—taking good care of sufferers with out the drain of doing clerical work."

“Our analysis findings reveal the potential of ambient AI to not solely save clinicians time, but in addition improve their well-being by assuaging the burden related to documentation duties,” stated Veena Jones, M.D., senior creator of the research and Sutter Well being’s chief medical data officer.

“This assist additionally has a ripple impact for sufferers, who lie on the coronary heart of our work. Ambient AI helps clinicians be extra current with sufferers throughout their appointments, to allow them to focus extra intently on their care.”

The rising calls for of digital well being report documentation, particularly exterior common clinic working hours, have negatively impacted well being care professionals leading to rising charges of burnout amongst physicians. Ambient AI presents an revolutionary possibility by listening to scientific visits and producing correct and arranged progress notes, permitting clinicians to focus extra time with their sufferers throughout every go to.

Research overview

The research, launched in April 2024, concerned 100 clinicians inside Sutter Well being, representing a broad vary of specialties throughout Northern California. The quantitative and survey information collected earlier than and after implementation revealed important enhancements, together with decreased “time in notes” and decreased cognitive burden. As well as, the know-how, supplied by the corporate Abridge, enabled clinicians to higher join with their sufferers, enhancing the general care expertise.

“Sufferers find it irresistible. They thank me on the finish of every go to for spending a lot time with them, when actually it is the identical period of time,” stated Emily Conway, M.D., a heart specialist with Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods in Santa Rosa.

“Additionally, Abridge will typically seize one thing that I mentally screened out, however was truly the affected person’s principal concern. When sufferers see it within the abstract, they actually recognize that I included it and really feel extra heard.”

Trying forward

Whereas outcomes had been optimistic, the research famous variations within the impression of ambient AI based mostly on clinician gender and scientific specialty. These findings underscore the necessity for additional analysis as this quickly evolving know-how is scaled.

“This research highlights the facility of analysis to reveal the real-world worth of rising applied sciences,” stated Matthew Solomon, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Sutter Well being. “It’s a sturdy instance of how Sutter is constructing a studying well being system—one the place information is shared, scaled and utilized to higher assist sufferers and care groups.”

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Sutter Well being