Doctors are drowning in paperwork. Studies show they spend a significant portion of their workday and time outside of work on clinical documentation, contributing to widespread burnout. But maybe it doesn’t have to be that way; a burgeoning industry is developing AI medical documentation tools — or “ambient scribes” — and a growing number of physicians think this busy work should be delegated to AI.
kAm%96 E@@=D H6C6 @C:8:?2==J 56D:8?65 E@ 5C27E >65:42= ?@E6D] }@H 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 :?4C62D:?8=J AFD9:?8 E96> 7FCE96C] %9:D :?4=F56D AC@G:5:?8 4@?E6IE @? E96 A2E:6?E’D >65:42= 9:DE@CJ[ 2DD:8?:?8 3:==:?8 4@56D 2?5 6G6? 24E:?8 @? E96 ?6IE DE6AD @7 2 A2E:6?E’D 42C6]k^Am
kAm“(6 42? 96=A ?@E @?=J H:E9 E96 ?@E6D[ 3FE H6 42? 962C J@FC @C56CD[ D@ H6 42? A=246 J@FC AC6D4C:AE:@?D @C J@FC 5:28?@DE:4 @C56CD 7@C )\C2JD @C r%D] (6 42? D6E E96 E23=6 7@C J@F @? 2== E96D6 @E96C E2D<D[” D2:5 $9:G #2@[ 7@F?56C 2?5 rt~ @7 p3C:586[ 2 DE2CEFA E92E :? a_ad 5@F3=65 :ED G2=F2E:@? E@ Sd]b 3:==:@? H:E9:? ;FDE 7@FC >@?E9D] k^Am
kAm%96 42E68@CJ 92D 8C@H? BF:4<=J[ 7C@> 2 76H 62C=J\DE286 AC@5F4ED E@ 2 >2C<6E H96C6 DE2CEFAD[ E649 8:2?ED 2?5 962=E942C6 4@>A2?:6D 2== 4@>A6E6] x?G6DE@CD A@FC65 2E =62DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DE2E?6HD]4@>^a_ad^_f^ah^2>3:6?46\962=E942C6\2:\D4C:36\?6H\7F?5C2:D6^QmS` 3:==:@?k^2m :?E@ E96 DA246 :? a_ad 2=@?6[ 2?5 |6?=@ '6?EFC6D[ :? :ED k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>6?=@G4]4@>^A6CDA64E:G6^a_ad\E96\DE2E6\@7\2:\:?\962=E942C6^Qma_ad $E2E6 @7 px :? w62=E942C6k^2m C6A@CE[ 42==65 2>3:6?E >65:42= D4C:36D “962=E942C6 px’D 7:CDE 3C62<@FE 42E68@CJ]” W|6?=@ :D :?G6DE65 :? >65:42= D4C:36 4@>A2?J w6:5:X]k^Am
kAmxE 92D 2== E96 >2<:?8D @7 2 >2;@C 3@@>[ 3FE E96 A2E9 E@ 25@AE:@? :D?’E 2?JH96C6 ?62C 2D D:>A=6 2D DA:??:?8 FA 2?5 7F?5:?8 AC@5F4ED] %96 p>6C:42? |65:42= pDD@4:2E:@?’D a_ae !9JD:4:2? px $FCG6J 7@F?5 E96 25@AE:@? C2E6 @7 E96 E@@=D =28D 369:?5 4=:?:4:2? 6?E9FD:2D> 7@C ECJ:?8 E96> — A6C92AD ?@E DFCAC:D:?8=J[ A=24:?8 px C64@C5:?8 D@7EH2C6 :? 36EH66? A2E:6?ED 2?5 E96:C 5@4E@CD 4@>6D H:E9 2 =@E @7 9FC5=6D] (9:=6 E96 E649 2?5 962=E942C6 4@>A2?:6D D6==:?8 px >65:42= D4C:36D 92G6 D=:89E=J 5:776C6?E A2E9D E@ >2C<6E D92C6 2G2:=23=6 E@ E96>[ E96J’C6 3@E9 FA 282:?DE C:8:5 AC@4FC6>6?E AC@46DD6D 2?5 2 H9@=6 =@E @7 ECFDE :DDF6D[ H9:49 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:?7:?:E6=@@A]>65:2Qm%96 x?7:?:E6 {@@A 3J }63:FDk^2m 6I2>:?6D 96C6] k^Am
k9bm%CFDE 2?5 AC@46DD k^9bm
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ (:=;62?2 v=@G6C[ 2 C6D62C496C 7@4FD65 @? 962=E942C6 :??@G2E:@? 2E q23D@? r@==686[ E96 82A 36EH66? 25@AE:@? 2?5 :?E6C6DE :D >2:?=J 5@H? E@ E96 AC@4FC6>6?E AC@46DD :ED6=7] qC:?8:?8 @? DF49 2 E649?@=@8J :D 2 3:8 564:D:@? :? E96D6 D6EE:?8D[ 2?5 >65:42= 8C@FAD 92G6 G6CJ 7@C>2=:K65 AC@46DD6D E@ :56?E:7J E96:C ?665D[ D6=64E A@E6?E:2= 42?5:52E6D[ D4C66? E96 E@A 49@:46D 2?5 6G2=F2E6 E96> @? DA64:7:4 4C:E6C:2] “%92E AC@46DD 42? E2<6 E:>6[” D96 D2:5] k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]FH962=E9]@C8^?6HD^C6D62C49\D9@HD\2>3:6?E\2:\:>AC@G6D\962=E942C6\AC24E:E:@?6C\H6==\36:?8Qmt2C=Jk^2m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2>2\2DD?]@C8^AC24E:46\>2?286>6?E^A9JD:4:2?\962=E9^9@H\>F49\42?\2>3:6?E\2:\D4C:36D\96=A\4FE\5@4E@C\3FC?@FEQmDEF5:6Dk^2m DF886DE E96 E@@=D 2C6 67764E:G6 2E C65F4:?8 4=:?:4:2? E:>6 DA6?E @? 5@4F>6?E2E:@?[ 3FE E96J’G6 366? =:>:E65 E@ @?6 962=E942C6 DJDE6> @C 92G6 366? 4@?5F4E65 @G6C D9@CE A6C:@5D @7 E:>6] y2>:6 r92?8[ 49:67 >65:42= @77:46C 2E (6==$<J[ 2 962=E9E649 4@>A2?J H:E9 2? px >65:42= D4C:36 AC@5F4E[ D2:5 E96 492==6?86 :D 86EE:?8 E96 564:D:@? >2<6CD E@ ECFDE E96 E@@= H:== 36 244FC2E6 2?5 H@?’E 4C62E6 2?J 255:E:@?2= 3FC56?D]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< E96 G2=F6 AC@A 2?5 56D:C6 :D E96C6[ 3FE >2J36 ,:E E2<6D. >@C6 ECFDE :? E96 AC@46DD[” 96 D2:5] k^Am
kAm%@ D6== E@ 3:8 >65:42= 8C@FAD[ #2@ 56D4C:365 92G:?8 E@ 8@ E9C@F89 D6G6C2= 6I64FE:G6D :?4=F5:?8 E96 49:67 >65:42= @77:46C Wr|~X[ 49:67 7:?2?4:2= @77:46C Wru~X 2?5 49:67 :?7@C>2E:@? @77:46C Wrx~X] %96 r|~ H2?ED E@ <?@H DA64:7:42==J H92E AC@3=6>D J@F 42? D@=G6 7@C E96:C 4=:?:4:2?D[ H9:=6 E96 ru~ :D :?E6C6DE65 :? E96 3@EE@> =:?6[ 96 D2:5] %96 rx~ ?665D E@ 36 2DDFC65 J@F >66E 2== E96 AC:G24J 2?5 D64FC:EJ C6BF:C6>6?ED 2?5 H:== 36 23=6 E@ D6CG6 E96> 7@C J62CD E@ 4@>6] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ D6==:?8 E@ AC@G:56CD @FED:56 E9@D6 3:8 962=E9 DJDE6>D 4@>6D H:E9 :ED @H? 492==6?86D[ :? A2CE:4F=2C ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ 86E :? 7C@?E @7 E96>] k^Am
kAm“%96 8@\E@\>2C<6E 7@C E9@D6 4=:?:4D 42? 36 G6CJ A2:?7F=[” 96 D2:5] “xEVD 92C5 E@ <?@4< @? 2== E9@D6 5@@CD 2?5 36 23=6 E@ D42=6 D@>6E9:?8 BF:4<=J] $@ 7:?5:?8 492??6=D 7@C 5:DEC:3FE:@? 364@>6D C62==J <6J[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C DE2CEFAD H9@ 2C6 7:89E:?8 :?4F>36?ED @C 9686>@?D]” k^Am
kAm(:E9 4@>A2?:6D @7 DE2C<=J 5:776C6?E D:K6D 7C@> 3@E9 E96 962=E942C6 2?5 E649 :?5FDEC:6D @776C:?8 E96D6 AC@5F4ED[ v=@G6C D2:5 D96’D D66? E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ 67764E:G6=J 8@ E9C@F89 E96 AC@4FC6>6?E AC@46DD G2CJ] $96’D 2=D@ ?@E:465 2 A2EE6C? @7 E96 =2C86 962=E9 DJDE6>D 49@@D:?8 7@C 4@?D:DE6?4J[ 6G6? :7 :E >62?D D24C:7:4:?8 @? 4FDE@>:K23:=:EJ @7 E96 E@@=]k^Am
kAm(6==$<J[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ :D ?@H 8:G:?8 2H2J :ED px >65:42= D4C:36 @776C:?8 7@C 7C66 E@ 4FDE@>6CD 2=C625J FD:?8 :ED A=2E7@C> 7@C @E96C 7F?4E:@?D[ H9:49 r92?8 D2:5 :D “23D@=FE6=J” 2? 25G2?E286 2D @AE:@?D 7=@@5 E96 >2C<6E]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< @G6C E:>6[ E96 :?5FDECJ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 4@?D@=:52E6 C2E96C E92? 92G6 2 =@E @7 3@=E65\@? @AE:@?D[” 96 D2:5] k^Am
k9bm!2E:6?E A6CDA64E:G6 k^9bm
kAmp>3:6?E >65:42= D4C:36D 92G6 A@E6?E:2= 36?67:ED 7@C A2E:6?ED[ E@@i p 5@4E@C H9@ :D?’E 9625D\5@H? E2<:?8 ?@E6D 5FC:?8 J@FC 2AA@:?E>6?E @C 86?6C2==J 3FC?65 @FE 42? E96@C6E:42==J AC@G:56 36EE6C 42C6] *6E E9:D A@E6?E:2= FAD:56 :D?’E @3G:@FD E@ A2E:6?ED 2?5 5@6D?’E ?646DD2C:=J @FEH6:89 4@?46C?D 23@FE px C64@C5:?8 E96:C D6?D:E:G6 >65:42= 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[ 6DA64:2==J 2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4?34]4@>^a_ae^_g^ah^E649\324<=2D9\2:\52E2\46?E6CD\6=64E:@?D]9E>=Qm@G6C2== 5:DECFDE @7 px :?4C62D6Dk^2m]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^24256>:4]@FA]4@>^;2>:2@A6?^2CE:4=6^h^b^@@28`_c^gf_fdfbn=@8:?l72=D6Qmx? @?6 DFCG6Jk^2m @7 A2E:6?E 2EE:EF56D E@H2C5 2>3:6?E >65:42= D4C:36D 4@?5F4E65 2E $E2?7@C5 w62=E9 r2C6 :? a_ad[ fb]eT @7 a[a_a A2E:6?ED H9@ 6IA6C:6?465 E96:C 4=:?:4:2? FD:?8 :E D2:5 E96J H@F=5 =:<6 :E E@ 36 FD65 282:?] %96J H6C6 E@=5 :? 25G2?46 E92E E96 G:D:E H@F=5 36 C64@C565 2?5 8:G6? E96 492?46 E@ 564=:?6] (:E9@FE 7:CDE\92?5 6IA6C:6?46 2?5 FA7C@?E 5:D4=@DFC6[ 9@H6G6C[ A2E:6?E H:==:?8?6DD =@@<D 5:776C6?E] p >F49 =2C86C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^24256>:4]@FA]4@>^;2>:2^2CE:4=6\23DEC24E^bb^a^aeb^gbf`fadnC65:C64E65uC@>l7F==E6IEU2>Aj=@8:?l72=D6QmDFCG6Jk^2m @7 `a[`db r2?25:2? 25F=ED 32D65 @?=J @? A6C46AE:@? 2?5 ?@E 2 5:C64E 6IA6C:6?46 7@F?5 E92E @?=J ag]bT H6C6 2H2C6 4=:?:4:2?D H6C6 FD:?8 px D4C:36D 2E 2==[ 2?5 E92E[ 6G6? H9:=6 2?E:4:A2E:?8 36?67:ED 7C@> :ED FD6[ e`]gT H6C6 C6=F4E2?E E@ 92G6 2? px D4C:36 FD65 :? E96 7FEFC6] %96 C6D62C496CD 4:E65 AC:G24J 4@?46C?D 2?5 =@H 2H2C6?6DD 2D <6J 32CC:6CD]k^Am
kAm“%96 6E9:42= C:D<D 72== 5:DAC@A@CE:@?2E6=J @? A2E:6?ED]]] ,p>3:6?E px DJDE6>D. 86?6C2E6 G2DE 2>@F?ED @7 52E2 E92E >2J 92G6 D64@?52CJ FD6D — H96E96C 2?E:4:A2E65 @C ?@E — C2:D:?8 D:8?:7:42?E 4@?46C?D 23@FE AC:G24J[ DFCG6:==2?46 2?5 52E2 8@G6C?2?46[” HC@E6 E96 2FE9@CD @7 2 a_ae k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?2EFC6]4@>^2CE:4=6D^Dc`fce\_ae\_ahfb\KQm4@>>6?Ek^2m @? 4@?D6?E 2?5 2>3:6?E 4=:?:42= px]k^Am
kAm%96 2FE9@CD 2=D@ 2C8F6 4FCC6?E 56A=@J>6?E AC24E:46D 72== D9@CE @7 86EE:?8 >62?:?87F= A2E:6?E 4@?D6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 ?@E 256BF2E6=J 6IA=2:?:?8 C64@C5:?8 AC24E:46D @C AC@G:5:?8 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ @AE @FE] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7:D96CA9:==:AD]4@>^6?^:?D:89ED^:?D:89ED^?6H\4=2DD\24E:@?\E2C86ED\962=E942C6\2:\C64@C5:?8DQm$6G6C2=k^2m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]9:A22;@FC?2=]4@>^=2HDF:E\2:\A=2E7@C>\:==682==J\C64@C565\A2E:6?E\4=:?:4:2?\4@?G6CD2E:@?D^Qm962=E942C6 AC@G:56CDk^2m 92G6 2=C625J 366? DF65 3J A2E:6?ED :? 4=2DD 24E:@? =2HDF:ED 4=2:>:?8 E96 E649?@=@8J H2D FD65 H:E9@FE 4@?D6?E]k^Am
kAm~? A2E:6?E AC:G24J[ #2@ D2:5 2 =@E @7 p>6C:42?D ?@H “;FDE 6IA64E E92E E9:?8D 2C6 86EE:?8 42AEFC65 :? D@>6 H2J” 2?5 E92E px >66E:?8 ?@E6\E2<6CD 92G6 ?@C>2=:K65 E96 :562] s@4E@CD DE:== ?665 E@ 86E 4@?D6?E 2?5 DA6?5 E:>6 E2=<:?8 E@ A2E:6?ED 23@FE :E[ 96 D2:5] r92?8 ?@E65 A9JD:4:2?D 96’D H@C<65 H:E9 2C6 724:?8 A2E:6?E BF6DE:@?D 23@FE 9@H E96 C64@C5:?8D 2C6 FD65] %9:D :D AFEE:?8 5@4E@CD @? E96 DA@E E@ E2=< 23@FE px 2?5 52E2 AC24E:46D E96J >:89E ?@E 6G6? 7F==J F?56CDE2?5 E96>D6=G6D[ D2:5 v=@G6C[ 255:?8 E92E E96 E@@=D D9@F=5 36 56D:8?65 H:E9 AC:G24J 762EFC6D E@A @7 >:?5[ DF49 2D 2FE@>2E:42==J 7:=E6C:?8 @FE D6?D:E:G6 52E2] k^Am
kAm“z66A:?8 A2E:6?E ?665D 7C@?E 2?5 46?E6C 2==@HD 962=E9 DJDE6>D E@ ECF=J >2<6 H:D6C 564:D:@?D[” D96 D2:5] “%96 :?7=FI @7 2 =@E @7 D9:?J @3;64ED[ 2D H6 >:89E 42== E96>[ 42? 364@>6 C62==J 5:DEC24E:?8]” k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:?7:?:E6=@@A]>65:2^A^2:\>65:42=\D4C:36DQmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2mk6>m H2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^:?7:?:E6=@@A]>65:2Qmk6>m%96 x?7:?:E6 {@@A 3J }63:FDk^6>mk^2mk6>m 2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2mk6>m]k^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.