Revolutionizing Clinicians’ Workload: How Content AI Scribe Technology Simplifies Documentation

When doctors collaborated with an artificial intelligence tool designed to listen in on patient consultations and take notes during visits, they observed a significant reduction in the amount of time spent interacting with electronic health records (EHRs) instead of directly engaging with their patients. The study also noted a decrease in what is referred to as “pajama time,” which involves reviewing patient cases after work hours.

This small-scale study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania offers early but promising results, particularly given the need to address physician burnout and expand the primary care workforce. According to Kevin B. Johnson, MD, MS—the David L. Cohen University Professor at Penn and director of the Artificial Intelligence for Ambulatory Care (AI4AI) Lab—these findings provide a glimmer of hope in this challenging context.

Penn Medicine is currently working with an “ambient listening” AI scribe tool that captures conversations between doctors and patients, transcribing them accurately into electronic health records. This technology has been tested by volunteer clinicians during patient visits, following informed consent from the patients involved. For their study, 46 clinicians completed a survey detailing their experiences using this new system.

Johnson’s team found that there was a 20% decrease in time spent interacting with EHRs both during and after patient consultations, along with a significant reduction of 30%, labeled “pajama time,” which often occurs at home. In practical terms, the AI scribe freed up two additional minutes per visit for face-to-face conversations between doctors and patients.

Additionally, clinicians reported gaining approximately 15 minutes each day of personal time outside work hours that they previously spent on EHR tasks. One physician commented in the survey that “the AI scribe is cutting back on my documentation time by about two hours weekly.”

This reduction in administrative workload benefits both doctors and patients. Many patients have follow-up questions or critical information to share at the conclusion of their appointments, so even a few extra minutes can be crucial for effective communication.

In terms of usability, clinicians rated the system highly; on an ease-of-use scale from 0 to 100 (with 100 being easiest), it received an average score of 76. About two-thirds indicated they would recommend this technology to others, with scores ranging between “promoters” and “passive recommenders.” C. William Hanson III, MD—UPHS Chief Medical Information Officer and professor of Anesthesiology and Clinical Care—commented that the virtual scribe is becoming increasingly adept at meeting diverse documentation needs across various medical specialties.

One participant expressed enthusiasm about this technology: “I legitimately think this technology, once optimized, is the biggest advancement for outpatient primary care providers in decades.” Anna Schoenbaum, DNP, MS, RN-BC, FHIMSS—UPHS Vice President of Applications and Digital Health—emphasized that Penn Medicine uses such innovations to strengthen doctor-patient relationships while enhancing efficiency and reducing cognitive burdens.