Ambient scribe tool increases efficiency, reduces documentation burden for clinicians
Key takeaways:
- The ambient scribe tool reduced after-hours work time among clinicians.
- The tool also decreased time in notes per appointment and increased same-day appointment closure.
Ambient scribing technology significantly decreased clinical documentation burden among a cohort of health care professionals at an academic medical center, according to study results.
The findings specifically showed that an ambient scribe tool led to increased clinician efficiency, lower mental burden of documentation and a greater sense of engagement with patients, researchers reported.
Assessing burden
“This research was prompted by the growing concern regarding the burden of clinical documentation on clinicians, which has been linked to burnout, dissatisfaction and decreased patient engagement,” Anna Schoenbaum, DNP, MS, RN-BC, study author and vice president of applications and digital health at Penn Medicine, told Healio. “Clinicians often spend a significant amount of time on documentation, detracting from their time with patients. Ambient scribing technology, which leverages artificial intelligence to assist in clinical note-taking, was introduced as a potential solution to alleviate this burden.
“This research is important because it aims to assess whether such technology can enhance the efficiency, quality and clinician experience of documentation, and ultimately improve patient care by reducing clinician workload and increasing patient engagement,” she added.
To investigate this, Schoenbaum and colleagues conducted a prospective, quality improvement study in the outpatient setting of an academic health system in Philadelphia. They included 46 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants across 17 medical specialties (mean years in practice, 11.1 years).
The researchers used a mixed-effects model and a 7-point Likert scale to assess targeted perspective questions about clinician-perceived patient engagement and perceived documentation burden.
Primary outcome measures included time in notes per appointment, same-day appointment closure, after-hours work time, perceived burden of clinical documentation and comments on clinicians’ experiences using ambient scribing.
Results, feedback
The researchers observed an association between use of the ambient scribing tool and a 30% overall reduction in after-hours work time per workday (from 50.6 minutes to 35.4 minutes; P = .02).
They additionally identified a 20.4% decrease in time in notes per appointment (from 10.3 minutes to 8.2 minutes; P < .001) and a 9.3% increase in same-day appointment closure (from 66.2% to 72.4%; P < .001).
Results also showed more favorable scores for targeted perspective questions. However, clinician feedback regarding the quality of the generated notes ranged from positive to negative. Overall feedback was mixed, with some participants perceiving the notes to be error-prone.
Standard System Usability Scale (SUS) score results showed easy use of the ambient scribing tool, according to the researchers.
“These findings suggest that ambient scribing technology can improve the efficiency of outpatient clinical documentation, reduce clinicians’ mental burden and possibly enhance their engagement with patients,” Schoenbaum said. “This could lead to improved clinician satisfaction, potentially reducing burnout and more efficient clinical workflows. However, the mixed feedback also indicates the need for further optimization of the technology to meet diverse clinician needs.”
The researchers acknowledged limitations of the study, including that it was performed in the same geographic area and had a short duration.
Looking ahead
The study highlights several areas for future research, according to Schoenbaum.
“Additional studies exploring the use of ambient scribing technology in urgent care settings could offer valuable insights into its broader applicability,” she told Healio. “Moreover, examining the patient experience in settings where ambient scribing is implemented is crucial to understanding its impact on care quality from the patient’s perspective. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term impact of ambient scribe technology, particularly on clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction and health equity.”
She continued, “Research could also explore how this technology integrates into diverse health care settings, its potential for bias in documentation and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional transcription methods. Understanding these factors will be essential in determining how ambient listening tools can be optimized for widespread adoption in clinical practice.”
Perspective
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The findings from this study underscore the growing role of AI-driven ambient scribing in addressing a long-standing challenge in health care: documentation burden.
As a practicing oncologist and health care leader, I have seen firsthand how excessive documentation time contributes to physician burnout, limits patient interaction and erodes work-life balance. This study’s results — demonstrating reduced note-taking time, improved same-day appointment closure rates and less after-hours work — are promising indicators for how technology can be leveraged to enhance efficiency and clinician well-being.
However, the mixed qualitative feedback highlights an ongoing need for refinement. While ambient scribing improves workflow, it is not yet a flawless solution. Concerns about accuracy, note quality and the need for extensive proofreading must be addressed before widespread adoption. Future iterations should prioritize minimizing note bloat and optimizing AI-generated content to align with clinical expectations.
Nonetheless, this study provides an encouraging step toward alleviating the documentation burden in modern health care.
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