How AI is giving physicians more time for what matters most

Kristine Lee, MD

I believe that practicing medicine is a highly rewarding calling. As physicians, we choose this calling because we want to help people. There’s immense satisfaction in supporting patients on their path to better health. But too often, the realities of modern medicine pull us away from what matters most. Administrative tasks — particularly clinical documentation — takes up more and more of our time. This is a common part of being a doctor today, and it indisputably contributes to burnout.

When electronic health records (EHRs) came on the scene a couple of decades ago, they aimed to streamline care delivery and communication. But the detail clinical documentation required meant physicians had to dedicate a greater share of their time to taking notes. Today, some physicians still spend nearly a quarter of a typical work week on EHR documentation — a challenge we urgently need to address. 

Without enough time in the workday for both patient care and administrative tasks, many physicians work late hours or during time off. This work-life imbalance is cited as a primary source of physician burnout. Addressing burnout is crucial, as studies show it increases the likelihood that a physician will leave an organization or even the field of medicine. With these consequences in mind, Permanente physician leaders sought to give physicians more time spent delivering care, rather than documenting it. 

Enter AI 

But just as innovation can sometimes create challenges, it also has the incredible potential to alleviate them. That’s why I’m so encouraged by a recent innovation that’s reshaping the care experience for patients and doctors alike. A recent study we conducted at The Permanente Medical Group, published in NEJM Catalyst, showed that artificial intelligence-powered ambient scribe technology saved physicians the equivalent of 1,794 working days, or nearly 7 years of work hours — in just one year. In addition to being a game changer in reducing time spent on administrative tasks, both patients and physicians reported improved interactions when using the technology. 

Related AI ambient scribe story: Lessons learned from the Kaiser Permanente rollout of ambient AI scribes

At Kaiser Permanente, we’ve long believed that improving patient care and supporting physicians should go hand in hand. AI scribes are a natural extension of that philosophy. These digital tools capture and document clinical conversations in real time, freeing up physicians to fully focus on the patient in front of them. Patients said that physicians were more focused on them when using ambient scribes. 

Our approach offers ambient scribes as an option for physicians, not a requirement. By allowing each physician to engage at their own comfort level, we created somewhat of a grassroots movement, with high users of ambient scribes sharing successes with their peers. Those high users spent significantly less time documenting notes per appointment, enabling them to spend more time interacting with patients.  

Ambient scribe technology is now available to all physicians across the organization. With widespread adoption, we’ll have an even better understanding of how these tools can improve patient-physician interactions and overall work satisfaction. 

Related AI ambient scribe story: Analysis: AI scribes save physicians time, improve patient interactions and work satisfaction

The value to physicians 

As physician leaders, it’s our responsibility to find ways to make practicing medicine more sustainable and rewarding for our colleagues. Given the current shortage of physicians in the U.S. and increasing demands put on doctors, every hour matters. Innovations like ambient scribes won’t solve every problem, but they’re a meaningful step toward restoring joy in medicine.  

I’m proud to be part of an organization so clearly dedicated to improving the health care experience and excited to be a part of what we do next for our patients, physicians, and the future of health care.

Kristine Lee, MD, is associate executive director of Virtual Medicine and Technology at The Permanente Medical Group.