JAMA
AI scribe reduces charting burden, increases visits
Clinical takeaway: AI scribes relieve note-writing pressure and modestly increase visit capacity. But these tools should be implemented as workflow tools, not workload solutions.
For prescribers juggling documentation, inbox demands, and patient care, AI scribes appear to shift time toward the patient and away from the note.
In a five-center study of 8,581 ambulatory clinicians, adoption of AI scribes was associated with 13.4 fewer minutes of total EHR time and 16.0 fewer minutes of documentation time per 8 scheduled patient hours (about 3% and 10% relative reductions), along with 0.49 additional visits per week. However, after-hours EHR time did not change significantly, indicating that time saved on charting may be redirected to other clinical tasks such as message management, results review, or care coordination.
Workflow effects were not uniform. Larger gains were seen in primary care, advanced practice clinicians, female clinicians, and those using AI scribes in more than half of visits, where documentation time dropped further and visit volume increased more.
“Future studies should assess the longevity and reproducibility of these observations, as well as specific workflows and supports that can enhance the benefits of this technology,” concluded the study.
Source: Rotenstein LS, et al. (2026, April 1). JAMA. Changes in clinician time expenditure and visit quantity with adoption of artificial intelligence–powered scribes