Artificial Intelligence helps Munson health care provider focus more on patients, less on screens

“It is very good at not pulling in the private conversation,” she said. “It only pulls in the medical conversation.”

Ambient listening does not diagnose conditions, recommend treatment or make healthcare decisions. It documents what was discussed and creates a draft for the provider to review. The provider remains responsible for evaluating the patient, determining the plan of care, correcting the note as needed and signing it.

“The thinking is still completely mine,” Altis said. “It is not adding things to the note that I didn’t say, and it is not trying to dictate what medical care I should give.”

That distinction may help reassure those who are hesitant to use artificial intelligence in a clinical setting. Altis considers ambient listening another tool available to providers, similar to standardized documentation templates. She uses it when it is appropriate for the type and complexity of the appointment.

Altis said that the technology has been especially helpful during visits involving multiple medical concerns. She estimated it can reduce her documentation time by about half for more complex appointments.

“When I’m addressing five or six things during a visit, it is saving me a ton of time,” she said. “When I’m done, I read through the note, make any corrections I need to make and sign it, rather than trying to type out the five or six things we just discussed.”

By reducing the time Altis spends documenting visits, ambient listening gives her more time to complete other patient-care responsibilities.

“I’m able to get back to patient messages sooner for urgent refills, or I may have a couple more minutes to call a patient about a test result rather than having them wait to schedule an appointment,” she said. “It is freeing up my time, which is still being used for patient care, just for some of the other things that have to be done every day.”

The technology can also improve the accuracy and timeliness of documentation when providers are unable to complete a note immediately after an appointment. Instead of trying to recall a detailed conversation several hours later, the provider can review the information captured during the visit.

“I can go back to finish a chart later and it helps me more accurately complete it rather than trying to recall what a patient said six hours earlier,” Altis said. “I can see what we talked about and what I said for the plan of care. It makes me feel like I’m giving the patient the care they deserve.”

Altis said the system was easy to learn, requiring about a day for her to become comfortable with it. She now uses ambient listening during approximately 75 to 80 percent of her appointments, depending on the type of visit.

For Altis, the benefits extend beyond documentation. Completing charts more efficiently helps her finish the workday on time and reduces the stress associated with carrying unfinished notes into the evening.

“It has helped me feel like I’m providing better care because I can be present with the patient, accurately capture what we discussed and have more time to take care of the other patients who need us,” she said.

At Munson, ambient listening is supporting healthcare delivery by giving providers more time to do what technology cannot—listen with empathy, exercise clinical judgment and connect with the person sitting across from them.