AI Scribes Deliver Modest Time Savings in Clinical Documentation, Large Study Finds
Key Takeaways:
- AI scribes were associated with small but measurable reductions in electronic health record use and documentation time
- Greater benefits were seen among clinicians who used the tools more frequently
- The reductions observed do not fully explain previously reported improvements in clinician burnout
The burden of clinical documentation
Documenting patient encounters within the electronic health record is a core component of modern healthcare delivery. However, it remains one of the most time-intensive aspects of clinical practice and is widely recognised as a contributor to clinician burnout.
In response, artificial intelligence-enabled ambient documentation tools, commonly referred to as AI scribes, have emerged. These systems automatically generate draft clinical notes based on conversations during patient appointments, allowing clinicians to review and edit them afterwards. While earlier research has suggested these tools may reduce burnout, there has been limited large-scale evidence examining how they affect day-to-day clinical workflows.
A large, real-world study across multiple hospitals
A new study co-led by researchers from Mass General Brigham and the University of California, San Francisco provides insight into this question. The study tracked the use of ambient documentation tools across five hospitals in the United States over a period exceeding two years.
More than 1,800 clinicians using AI scribes were compared with 6,770 clinicians who did not use the technology within the same institutions. This work forms part of the Ambient Clinical Documentation Collaborative, a multi-organisational research initiative.
Modest reductions in time spent on documentation
The findings, published in JAMA, indicate that AI scribes were associated with modest efficiency gains. On average, clinicians using these tools spent 13 fewer minutes per day on the electronic health record and 16 fewer minutes on documentation tasks.
These reductions correspond to relative decreases of 3% in overall EHR usage and 10% in documentation time.
The study also identified a small increase in productivity. Clinicians using AI scribes completed approximately 0.5 additional patient visits per week compared with those who did not use the technology.
Frequency of use influences impact
The benefits of AI scribes were not evenly distributed. The most notable improvements were observed among primary care physicians, advanced practice providers, female clinicians, and those who used the tools in at least half of their patient encounters.
Clinicians who used AI scribes for more than 50% of visits experienced roughly twice the reduction in total EHR time and three times the reduction in documentation time compared with less frequent users. Despite this, only 32% of clinicians adopted the technology at this level of regular use.
Financial impact remains limited
Although the increase in patient visits translated into higher revenue, the financial gains were modest. On average, clinicians using AI scribes generated an additional $167 per month.
This suggests that while the tools may offer efficiency benefits, their economic impact at an individual clinician level remains relatively small.
No change in after-hours workload
One notable finding was that time spent using the electronic health record outside of standard working hours did not differ significantly between clinicians using AI scribes and those who were not.
This raises important questions about how time savings during the working day are being redistributed and whether they meaningfully reduce workload burden or are absorbed by other clinical or administrative tasks.
Understanding the link to burnout
Despite prior evidence suggesting that ambient documentation tools may reduce clinician burnout, the mechanisms behind this effect remain unclear.
“Previous studies link ambient documentation to a significant decrease in burnout, but the underlying drivers of this reduction have been unclear,” said senior author Rebecca G. Mishuris, MD, MS, MPH, Chief Health Information Officer at Mass General Brigham.
“The modest reductions in documentation time we observed are unlikely to fully account for changes in burnout, underscoring the need to understand how these tools change how clinicians approach care delivery while using them.”
Adoption and real-world implementation
The study highlights both the promise and the limitations of AI scribes in real-world clinical settings. While measurable improvements were observed, their magnitude was relatively small and depended heavily on consistent use.
“Ambient documentation use is expanding rapidly across U.S. health care, making it essential to study how these technologies are impacting clinicians in real time,” said lead and corresponding study author Lisa Rotenstein, MD, MBA, an associate professor of medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine, and director of The Center for Physician Experience and Practice Excellence at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“Our study demonstrates the impact of AI scribes in diverse real-world implementations at multiple sites. It also emphasizes the value of helping clinicians become comfortable with the technology so that they are reaping its full benefits via frequent use.”
The need for further research
The findings suggest that while AI scribes can improve efficiency, they are not a complete solution to the challenges associated with clinical documentation or clinician burnout.
Further research is needed to understand how these tools influence clinician behaviour, how saved time is reallocated, and whether broader system-level changes are required to fully realise their potential benefits.
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NHS Endorses AI Notetaking to Expand Face-to-Face Patient Care
Key Takeaways:
- NHS-backed AI notetaking tools could enable clinicians to spend up to a quarter more time with patients by reducing administrative burden.
- A new national registry of approved suppliers sets standards for clinical safety, technology assurance and data protection.
- Evidence from more than 17,000 patient encounters shows increased direct patient interaction and shorter appointment times when AI-scribing is used.
NHS support for ambient voice technologies
New artificial intelligence notetaking tools supported by the NHS could allow doctors to spend up to a quarter more time with people receiving care. NHS organisations across England are being encouraged to make use of a newly published national registry of approved suppliers offering this technology.
Often referred to as ambient voice technologies, these tools capture clinician–patient conversations and use AI to generate real-time transcriptions and clinical summaries. The aim is to reduce the time clinicians spend typing notes or navigating screens during consultations, while maintaining high standards of accuracy, privacy and data protection.
By adopting these systems, clinicians could save approximately two to three minutes per patient consultation. At scale, this time saving could be redirected towards additional appointments or more in-depth conversations with people seeking care.
New national registry sets standards for safety and data protection
NHS England has published a new self-certified registry for AI notetaking technologies, listing 19 suppliers that meet national requirements. The registry requires participating suppliers to comply with established standards covering clinical safety, technological performance and data protection.
The launch follows NHS guidance issued last year, which advised NHS organisations to adopt AI notetaking tools only where they are safe, evidence-based and demonstrably beneficial for patients. The registry is intended to give local NHS teams confidence when selecting and implementing these tools.
Clinical leadership highlights potential benefits
Dr Alec Price-Forbes, NHS England National Chief Clinical Information Officer, said:
“The AI revolution is here and we want to arm our NHS staff with the latest technology, which has the potential to transform the quality, safety and experience of care patients receive, as well as improving efficiency.
“AI notetaking tools will help free up more time for clinicians to focus on their patients, rather than typing up notes or looking at a screen – enhancing the quality of consultations and improving overall patient satisfaction.
“We are working with NHS organisations to help them implement the technology safely and effectively – helping to make the NHS the most AI-enabled healthcare system in the world, as we shift from analogue to digital.”
Minister for Digital Government Ian Murray also emphasised the wider public sector impact, stating:
“AI has enormous potential to transform public services, and this is a prime example of how we can use it to make a real difference. By cutting down on admin and paperwork, we’re giving clinicians back valuable time to do what they do best – caring for patients.
“We’re committed to making the UK an exemplar for how technology can be used to improve public services. Supporting the NHS to adopt tools like these safely and effectively is a key part of that mission.”
Evidence from NHS pilots and large-scale evaluation
AI notetaking technology has already been tested across nine NHS sites, where it was shown to free up clinicians to spend nearly a quarter more time with patients. A major NHS England-sponsored study published last year found that AI-scribing technology can significantly reduce clinician workload while supporting improvements in patient care. The findings suggest that national adoption could unlock millions of pounds worth of additional clinical activity.
The study was led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust Innovation Unit, known as GOSH DRIVE. It assessed the impact of an AI-scribing tool that automatically transcribes consultations and drafts summarised clinical notes for clinicians to review and approve.
Measurable improvements across care settings
More than 17,000 patient encounters were evaluated across a wide range of NHS settings, including hospitals, GP practices, mental health services and ambulance teams. The results demonstrated a 23.5 per cent increase in direct patient interaction time during appointments when AI-scribes were used. In addition, overall appointment length fell by 8.2 per cent.
Emergency departments saw particularly notable benefits, with a 13.4 per cent increase in the number of patients seen per shift. Together, these findings indicate that AI notetaking tools have the potential to improve both the experience of people receiving care and the efficiency of clinical services when implemented safely and appropriately.
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