Ambient AI scribes reduce clinician burnout, boost well-being

Using ambient AI scribe technology was associated with significant reductions in physician burnout and improvements in well-being, a new study published in JAMA Network Open reveals.

The study, which includes survey data from Mass General Brigham (MGB) and Emory Healthcare, indicates that ambient AI scribe tools enhance clinician experience. These tools leverage generative AI to record patient-provider conversations during a clinical visit and draft clinical documentation for the clinician to review. 

For the study, researchers analyzed surveys conducted at each institution before and after an ambient AI scribe technology pilot. They included clinicians who had used the technology for at least 42 days.

At MGB, 128 of 264 survey respondents (48.5%) self-reported using ambient AI technology for at least 50% of their patient visits, while 27 of 62 Emory respondents (43.5%) self-reported using ambient AI for most or all of their visits.

The research shows that the proportion of MGB respondents meeting the criteria for burnout decreased significantly from 50.6% at baseline to 30.7% at 84 days after the technology's implementation. At Emory, the number of respondents reporting that the ambient AI scribe technology positively impacted well-being increased significantly from 1.6% at baseline to 32.3% at 60 days.

The researchers also analyzed free-text comments, including 139 clinician responses from MGB and 20 from Emory. The responses were largely positive, with clinicians noting that they had more "contact with patients and families," that the technology "improves [users'] joy in practice," and that it has the potential to "fundamentally [change] the experience of being a physician."

However, some clinicians noted that the technology was not as useful for certain visits, such as pediatric physical examinations, while others said "it added 1 to 2 hours a day to my note writing."

Researchers concluded that more work is needed "to understand how to maximize the well-being benefit across clinicians." They also cautioned that the study is limited by a low response rate, which may only represent the most enthusiastic ambient AI users.

Still, Jacqueline You, MD, MBI, lead study author, digital clinical lead and primary care physician at Mass General Brigham, emphasized in a press release that "the burnout data speak similar volumes of the promise of these technologies and the importance of continuing to study them."

The study comes as ambient AI's popularity is exploding. In recent weeks, major EHR companies have touted new AI-based EHR tools, including ambient AI scribes, and an AI clinical documentation company raised an eye-popping $243 million.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.