Q&A: AI cuts documentation burden, allows HCPs more time for ‘truly practicing medicine’

Key takeaways:

• An AI-based application reduced documentation time during outpatient visits in multiple specialties.
• The tool could improve physician well-being and the quality of patient visits, a researcher said.

An AI-driven application reduced the time needed for documentation of patient visits, allowing providers more time for shared decision-making and communication with patients, a pilot study showed.

According to a survey commissioned by The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, 70% of patients expressed comfortability with physicians using AI to take notes during an appointment, although over half felt the use of AI in health care was “scary.”

The institution explored some of these areas of focus by piloting the Microsoft Dragon Ambient eXperience Copilot application, which uses generative and ambient AI to listen to patient-provider conversations and draft clinical notes in the patient’s electronic medical record, according to a press release.

In the pilot study, 24 physicians and advanced practice providers in primary care, obstetrics and gynecology and cardiology tested the application during outpatient visits, recording the visit with the AI technology after obtaining the patient’s permission.

The AI-generated notes were organized and ready for review in less than a minute after the visit’s completion, the release noted.

Overall, 80% of providers completed the pilot study. Results showed the application saved up to four minutes per patient visit.

Harrison Jackson, MD, FACP, an internist with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and pilot study participant, spoke with Healio to discuss the application, the feasibility of its implementation and more.

Healio: What are your thoughts about the results after using this application?

Jackson: This technology better enables us to serve our patients. With this technology, we are able to focus on communicating with patients and to spend more time hearing our patients' individual stories, discussing our shared medical decision-making and overall individualizing patient care. Also, this technology improves overall physician well-being. Because this technology allows us to focus on medical decision-making, we spend more time on truly practicing medicine.

I think it was surprising how quickly this technology could be adopted. Our preliminary findings have also shown that this technology improves patient satisfaction and doctor communication on post-visit surveys and may help in ensuring the documentation needed for insurance prior authorizations.

Healio: How feasible is it to implement this technology into clinical practice?

Jackson: From a provider perspective, implementing this technology is quite simple. A 2-minute training video was all it took for me to start using this technology in my clinical practice. It’s also important to note that this technology can be used in pieces. By this I mean that physicians can use this to document one part of the visit, such as the history of present illness but can use another method to document other portions, such as the physical exam or assessment plan. Therefore, the technology can be adapted to a provider's work preferences.

Healio: What are the implications for primary care providers (PCPs) and their patients?

Jackson: PCPs can expect to see improved quality of patient visits, better connection and communication with their patients, greater job satisfaction through focus on shared medical decision-making, and complete discussion of assessment and plan. This technology also enhances physician well-being through saved time per charting, allowing physicians simple — yet meaningful — improvements, such as getting lunch or leaving at the end of their clinic session.

Healio: Where does research on the application go from here?

Jackson: Exciting opportunities for research in this area will include how this technology can be used in different medical settings, such as the ED and inpatient hospital services. It will also be exciting to see how this technology can be used in education for medical students, residents, and fellows. I look forward to seeing what other tasks this technology can assist with, such as updating other portions of the electronic medical record and assisting with drafting orders.

Reference:

• Survey finds most Americans are comfortable with AI in health care. Available at: https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/pressreleaselisting/most-americans-comfortable-with-ai-in-health-care. Published Aug. 21, 2024. Sept. 3, 2024.