East Montgomery Times

When doctors collaborated with an artificial intelligence tool designed to "listen" and take notes during patient visits, they experienced a notable reduction in time spent on documentation, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the study highlighted decreased "pajama time," or after-hours work reviewing patient cases.

"This small study shows early but promising results. In an era where we need find ways to decrease physician burnout and increase the workforce of primary care providers, these results provide a glimmer of hope," said Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS, director of the Artificial Intelligence for Ambulatory Care Lab at Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is exploring an AI-powered "scribe" tool that accurately transcribes doctor-patient conversations into electronic health records (EHRs). Volunteer clinicians are currently using this "ambient listening" tool with consenting patients.

The study involved 46 clinicians who reported a 20% reduction in EHR interaction time during and after visits and a 30% decrease in after-hours work. This equated to two additional minutes per visit for direct patient interaction and about 15 extra minutes of personal time daily. One doctor noted that the AI scribe reduced their weekly documentation time by approximately two hours.

This saved time benefits both clinicians and patients. Patients often have follow-up questions or vital information to share post-appointment; thus, even brief additional moments can be crucial for reassurance or communication about their condition.

One physician remarked that the AI scribe "has dramatically decreased my documentation burden and allowed me to have conversations with patients that don’t require me to divert attention from the computer screen."

Clinicians rated the system's ease-of-use at an average score of 76 out of 100. Regarding recommendations, about 65% were either strong promoters or passive recommenders.

C. William Hanson III, MD, UPHS Chief Medical Information Officer, explained that different medical specialties document differently, catering to various readers such as colleagues and insurers. He stated that "virtual scribe technology is getting better every day at answering those varied requirements."

A participating doctor commented on its potential: “I legitimately think this technology, once optimized, is the biggest advancement for outpatient primary care providers in decades.”

Anna Schoenbaum from Penn Medicine emphasized how leveraging technology can enhance clinician-patient relationships by improving efficiency and reducing cognitive burdens.