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Use of Ambient AI Scribes to Reduce Administrative Burden and Professional Burnout

Author/s: 
Kristine D. Olson, Daniella Meeker, Matt Troup

Importance: While in short supply and high demand, ambulatory care clinicians spend more time on administrative tasks and documentation in the electronic health record than on direct patient care, which has been associated with burnout, intention to leave, and reduced quality of care.

Objective: To examine whether ambient AI scribes are associated with reducing clinician administrative burden and burnout.

Design, setting, and participants: This quality improvement study used preintervention and 30-day postintervention surveys to evaluate the use of the same ambient AI platform for clinical note documentation among ambulatory care physicians and advanced practice practitioners of 6 academic and community-based health care systems across the US. Clinicians were recruited by the health systems' digital health leaders; participation was voluntary. The study was conducted between February 1 and October 31, 2024.

Exposure: Use of an ambient AI scribe for 30 days.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was change in self-reported burnout, estimated using hierarchical logistic regression. Secondary outcomes of burnout evaluated were changes in note-related cognitive task load, focused attention on patients, patient understandability of notes, ability to add patients to the clinic schedule if urgently needed, and time spent documenting after hours. Outcome measures were linearly transformed to 10-point scales to ease interpretation and comparison. Differences between preintervention and postintervention scores were determined using paired t tests.

Results: Of the 451 clinicians enrolled, 272 completed the preintervention and postintervention surveys (60.3% completion rate), and 263 with direct patient care in ambulatory clinics (mean [SD] years in practice, 15.1 [9.3]; 141 female [53.6%]) were included in the analysis. The sample included 131 primary care practitioners (49.7%), 232 attending physicians (88.2%), and 168 academic faculty (63.9%). After 30 days with the ambient AI scribe, the proportion of participants experiencing burnout decreased significantly from 51.9% to 38.8% (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.13-0.54). On 10-point scales, the ambient AI scribe was associated with significant improvements in secondary outcomes of burnout (mean [SE] difference, 0.47 [0.12] points), note-related cognitive task load (mean [SE] difference, 2.64 [0.13] points), ability to provide undivided attention (mean [SE] difference, 2.05 [0.18] points), patient understandability of their care plans from reading the notes (mean [SE] difference, -0.44 [0.17] points), ability to add patients to the clinic schedule if urgently needed (mean [SE] difference, 0.51 [0.24] points), and time spent documenting after hours (mean [SE] difference, 0.90 [0.19] hours).

Conclusions and relevance: This multicenter quality improvement study found that use of an ambient AI scribe platform was associated with a significant reduction in burnout, cognitive task load, and time spent documenting, as well as the perception that it could improve patient access to care and increase attention on patient concerns in an ambulatory environment. These findings suggest that AI may help reduce administrative burdens for clinicians and allow more time for meaningful work and professional well-being.

Keywords 
burnout burnout, professional ambulatory care ambient AI

Mobile Telemedicine for Buprenorphine Treatment in Rural Populations With Opioid Use Disorder

Author/s: 
Weintraub, E., Seneviratne, C., Anane, J.

Importance
The demand for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in rural US counties far outweighs their availability. Novel approaches to extend treatment capacity include telemedicine (TM) and mobile treatment on demand; however, their combined use has not been reported or evaluated.

Objective
To evaluate the use of a TM mobile treatment unit (TM-MTU) to improve access to MOUD for individuals living in an underserved rural area.

Design, Setting, and Participants
This quality improvement study evaluated data collected from adult outpatients with a diagnosis of OUD enrolled in the TM-MTU initiative from February 2019 (program inception) to June 2020. Program staff traveled to rural areas in a modified recreational vehicle equipped with medical, videoconferencing, and data collection devices. Patients were virtually connected with physicians based more than 70 miles (112 km) away. Data analysis was performed from June to October 2020.

Intervention
Patients received buprenorphine prescriptions after initial teleconsultation and follow-up visits from a study physician specialized in addiction psychiatry and medicine.

Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary outcome was 3-month treatment retention, and the secondary outcome was opioid-positive urine screens. Exploratory outcomes included use of other drugs and patients’ travel distance to treatment.

Results
A total of 118 patients were enrolled in treatment, of whom 94 were seen for follow-up treatment predominantly (at least 2 of 3 visits [>50%]) on the TM-MTU; only those 94 patients’ data are considered in all analyses. The mean (SD) age of patients was 36.53 (9.78) years, 59 (62.77%) were men, 71 (75.53%) identified as White, and 90 (95.74%) were of non-Hispanic ethnicity. Fifty-five patients (58.51%) were retained in treatment by 3 months (90 days) after baseline. Opioid use was reduced by 32.84% at 3 months, compared with baseline, and was negatively associated with treatment duration (F = 12.69; P = .001). In addition, compared with the nearest brick-and-mortar treatment location, TM-MTU treatment was a mean of 6.52 miles (range, 0.10-58.70 miles) (10.43 km; range, 0.16-93.92 km) and a mean of 10 minutes (range, 1-49 minutes) closer for patients.

Conclusions and Relevance
These data demonstrate the feasibility of combining TM with mobile treatment, with outcomes (retention and opioid use) similar to those obtained from office-based TM MOUD programs. By implementing a traveling virtual platform, this clinical paradigm not only helps fill the void of rural MOUD practitioners but also facilitates access to underserved populations who are less likely to reach traditional medical settings, with critical relevance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human Papillomavirus Immunization in Rural Primary Care

Author/s: 
Ferrara, Laura, K., Gunn, Rose, Dickinson, Caitlin, Stock, Isabel, Griffith-Weprin, Jennifer, Wiser, Amy, Hatch, Brigit, Fagnan, L.J., Carney, P.A., Davis, M.M.

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the safety and efficacy of the human papillomavirus vaccine, thousands are impacted by human papillomavirus and its related cancers. Rural regions have disproportionately low rates of human papillomavirus vaccination. Primary care clinics play an important role in delivering the human papillomavirus vaccine. A positive deviance approach is used to identify workflows, organizational factors, and communication strategies in rural clinics with higher human papillomavirus vaccine up-to-date rates. Positive deviance is a process by which exceptional behaviors and strategies are identified to understand factors that enable success.

Methods: Rural primary care clinics were rank ordered by human papillomavirus vaccine up-to-date rates using 2018 Oregon Immunization Program data, then recruited via purposive sampling of clinics in the top and bottom quartiles. Two study team members conducted previsit interviews, intake surveys, and 2-day observation visits with 12 clinics and prepared detailed field notes. Data were collected October-December 2018 and analyzed using a thematic approach January-April 2019.

Results: Four themes distinguished rural clinics with higher human papillomavirus vaccine up-to-date rates from those with lower rates. First, they implemented standardized workflows to identify patients due for the vaccine and had vaccine administration protocols. Second, they designated and supported a vaccine champion. Third, clinical staff in higher performing sites were comfortable providing immunizations regardless of visit type. Finally, they used clear, persuasive language to recommend or educate parents and patients about the vaccine's importance.

Conclusions: Positive deviance identified characteristics associated with higher human papillomavirus vaccine up-to-date rates in rural primary care clinics. These findings provide guidance for rural clinics to inform human papillomavirus vaccination quality improvement interventions.

Copyright © 2020 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organizational Health Literacy: Quality Improvement Measures with Expert Consensus

Author/s: 
Brega, A.G., Hamer, M.K., Albright, K., Brach, C., Saliba, D., Abbey, D., Gritz, R.M.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Organizational health literacy (OHL) is the degree to which health care organizations implement strategies to make it easier for patients to understand health information, navigate the health care system, engage in the health care process, and manage their health. Although resources exist to guide OHL-related quality improvement (QI) initiatives, little work has been done to establish measures that organizations can use to monitor their improvement efforts.

OBJECTIVE:

We sought to identify and evaluate existing OHL-related QI measures. To complement prior efforts to develop measures based on patient-reported data, we sought to identify measures computed from clinical, administrative, QI, or staff-reported data. Our goal was to develop a set of measures that experts agree are valuable for informing OHL-related QI activities.

METHODS:

We used four methods to identify relevant measures computed from clinical, administrative, QI, or staff-reported data. We convened a Technical Expert Panel, published a request for measures, conducted a literature review, and interviewed 20 organizations working to improve OHL. From the comprehensive list of measures identified, we selected a set of high-priority measures for review by a second expert panel. Using a modified Delphi review process, panelists rated measures on four evaluation criteria, participated in a teleconference to discuss areas of disagreement among panelists, and rerated all measures.

KEY RESULTS:

Across all methods, we identified 233 measures. Seventy measures underwent Delphi Panel review. For 22 measures, there was consensus among panelists that the measures were useful, meaningful, feasible, and had face validity. Five additional measuresreceived strong ratings for usefulness, meaningfulness, and face validity, but failed to show consensus among panelists regarding feasibility.

CONCLUSIONS:

We identified OHL-related QI measures that have the support of experts in the field. Although additional measure development and testing is recommended, the Consensus OHL QI Measures are appropriate for immediate use. [HLRP: Health LiteracyResearch and Practice. 2019;3(2):e127-e146.].

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY:

The health care system is complex. Health care organizations can make things easier for patients by making changes to improve communication and to help patients find their way around, become engaged in the health care process, and manage their health. We identify 22 measures that organizations can use to monitor their efforts to improve communication with and support for patients.

Keywords 
health literacy

Ten tips for advancing a culture of improvement in primary care

Author/s: 
Kiran, T., 'Ramji, N.', Derocher, M.B., Girdhari, R., Davie, S., Lam-Antoniades M.

Embracing practice-based quality improvement (QI) represents one way for clinicians to improve the care they provide to patients while also improving their own professional satisfaction. But engaging in care redesign is challenging for clinicians. In this article, we describe our experience over the last 7 years transforming the care delivered in our large primary care practice. We reflect on our journey and offer 10 tipsto healthcare leaders seeking to advance a culture of improvement. Our organisation has developed a cadre of QI leaders, tracks a range of performance measures and has demonstrated sustained improvements in important areas of patient care. Success has required deep engagement with both patients and clinicians, a long-term vision, and requisite patience.

Keywords 
primary health care Leadership patient care

Six Building Blocks: A Team-Based Approach to Improving Opioid Management in Primary Care

Most patients taking opioids for chronic pain are managed by primary care providers and their staff. Many practices are looking for help in managing their patients using chronic opioid therapy. To meet this need, AHRQ funded the Six Building Blocks project  through grant number R18HS0237850. Additional funding was provided by Washington State Department of Health subcontract (HED23124) of Cooperative U17CE002734, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keywords 
opioids chronic pain primary health care patient care
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