Physicians and clinicians in the United States spend a large part of their time on documentation tasks required by Electronic Health Records (EHRs). These tasks include writing notes about patient visits, making sure coding is correct for billing, managing lab or medication orders, and finishing administrative work. Studies show these tasks can take up to half of doctors’ work hours. Too much clerical work causes stress and burnout for providers, with many doctors feeling frustrated by the time spent on EHR tasks instead of seeing patients.
For example, doctors working in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Internal Medicine often spend several extra hours daily on paperwork after clinic hours. This reduces the time they have to spend with patients and affects their well-being, work-life balance, and overall healthcare efficiency.
AI-Driven Co-Pilots: A Practical Solution
AI co-pilots in healthcare are digital assistants built into EHR systems that help with clinical notes and administrative tasks. These AI tools use technologies like natural language processing (NLP), large language models (LLMs), and machine learning. They listen to spoken words or read typed inputs and create accurate notes, assign billing codes, and even place orders for tests or medications.
Key Functions of AI Co-Pilots:
- Scribing: The AI listens to the patient visit through recordings or live speech and creates organized notes that include medical history, exam details, and clinical findings.
- Note Creation: Beyond just writing down what is said, AI fills out templates and finds important medical details to make complete and editable notes ready for billing and records.
- Medical Coding: AI automatically selects codes for procedures and diagnoses (like CPT, ICD-10, HCC), which lowers coding mistakes and billing problems.
- Ordering: The AI helps put in orders for labs, medicines, referrals, and imaging tests inside the EHR based on the clinical visit.
Demonstrated Efficiency Gains in U.S. Clinics and Health Systems
Different health systems and clinics in the U.S. have seen benefits from using AI co-pilots:
- Dr. Norman Lamberty, an OB-GYN at A&A Women’s Health, cut charting time by 25% using Commure’s Ambient AI. This gave him more time to care for patients and better work-life balance.
- Dr. Palakurthy, an Internal Medicine doctor at Dignity Health, saved up to three hours daily on paperwork, plus more time on weekends for patient messaging and prescriptions.
- North East Medical Services (NEMS), using Epic-integrated Ambient AI, lowered documentation time by 30% and improved note accuracy. The AI also helped handle language barriers for this diverse patient group.
- A New York City health system used Commure’s Charge Note Reconciliation engine to connect MEDITECH EHR and Athena billing systems. This cut delays in charge submissions and helped maximize payments, showing how AI can help fix gaps between systems.
These results show that AI tools not only reduce mental workload for providers but also help practices stay financially healthy.
Impact on Reducing Provider Burnout
Burnout among healthcare providers is a big issue across the country. Repetitive and lengthy EHR tasks lead to exhaustion. Several studies on AI scribing and co-pilot tools report that documentation time can drop by about 25 to 30%, with some voice-based AI assistants cutting charting time by up to 70%.
For example:
- Suki’s AI voice assistant cuts documentation time by about 3 hours each day and lowers burnout in clinical groups by 60%.
- Sully.ai’s AI teams save doctors around 2.8 hours daily and helped increase revenues by 11.2%.
- AI ambient scribing tools like Commure’s show about 90% of clinical notes need no edits, meaning they are very accurate and reduce frustration from fixing notes created by AI.
By greatly reducing after-hours paperwork, AI co-pilots help providers get back personal time and stay more focused at work. This improves their job satisfaction and care for patients.
AI and Workflow Automations Relevant to EHR Documentation and Revenue Cycle Management
AI goes beyond note writing and coding. It can automate complex tasks that used to need manual work. Together with AI documentation, these automations improve how healthcare practices operate.
Automating Administrative and Clinical Tasks:
- Revenue Cycle Management (RCM): AI automates checking patient eligibility, handling denials and appeals, and prior authorizations. For example, Commure’s RCM tools speed up charge reconciliation and billing. This lowers the time money is owed and speeds up payments.
- Appointment and Patient Engagement: Systems like Commure Engage send automatic patient reminders and offer digital help programs. These actions reduce no-shows and cancellations, which makes clinics run more smoothly.
- Real-Time Querying of EHR Data: AI co-pilots let users ask questions in natural language and get needed clinical or admin data without digging through records.
- Order Management: AI helps place correct orders for labs, drugs, and referrals during patient visits. This cuts delays and errors while following clinical rules.
Handling Phone Calls and Front Desk Activities:
AI voice agents like Infinitus Systems’ Eva manage 30 to 50% of office phone calls. They handle tasks like insurance checks, prior authorizations, and scheduling appointments. This lowers staff workload and phone wait times. It speeds up clinical work and helps patient satisfaction.
AI Integration with EHRs: Key Considerations for U.S. Medical Practices
AI co-pilots work best when they fit well with existing EHR systems used in the U.S. Common platforms include Epic, MEDITECH, Athena, and others. AI that easily connects with these systems cuts down on workflow breaks and duplicate work.
- Multi-system Compatibility: AI tools like Commure Ambient AI work with many EHR platforms, so more healthcare providers can use them.
- Data Security and Compliance: AI co-pilots made for healthcare follow strict security rules. This keeps patient and billing information private and meets HIPAA regulations.
- Scalability: AI tools can support small clinics and large hospitals, allowing different-sized practices to adopt them.
- Language and Cultural Adaptations: AI can help with language differences, as shown by the success at North East Medical Services. This helps create accurate notes for patients who speak many languages, common in the U.S.
Practical Implications for Practice Administrators and IT Managers
For medical practice leaders and IT managers, using AI co-pilots and automation can bring:
- Increased Productivity: Staff and doctors spend less time on manual work like documentation and coding. This means more time for patient visits or complex care.
- Better Financial Performance: Automations in revenue cycle management reduce mistakes and denials, improve claim acceptance rates, shorten the time money is owed, and increase payments.
- Improved Staff Morale: Lower burnout helps keep clinicians happy and working longer. This matters a lot in the competitive U.S. healthcare job market.
- Streamlined Patient Access: AI-enabled calls and digital tools cut down wait times, no-shows, and cancellations. This makes patient flow smoother.
- Technology Optimization: Connecting AI with current EHRs gets the most out of technology investments healthcare organizations have already made.
Real-World Evidence and Use Cases in the U.S.
- The New York City Health System improved revenue and billing by automating workflows between MEDITECH and Athena systems with AI tools. This shows how AI can fix integration problems common with multiple platforms.
- Mount Sinai Health System used AI digital programs to help joint replacement patients prepare faster and recover better with EHR-linked therapy modules.
- Yale New Haven Health System used AI-driven patient reminders to cut no-shows and keep appointments on track. This improved clinic efficiency.
- Providers using Abridge’s AI gained about 2 to 3 extra hours daily, especially at big academic centers like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. This shows these tools are widely accepted.
- Private practices and mid-size clinics reported higher revenue and fewer billing errors by using AI coding and documentation tools like Fathom and DeepScribe.
AI co-pilots and workflow automation offer a practical answer to rising administrative work in U.S. healthcare. By focusing on fitting with existing systems, accuracy, and automation, these tools help providers save time, reduce burnout, and improve both patient care and financial operations.
Medical administrators and IT managers in the United States are encouraged to consider how AI documentation and workflow tools can help their clinical teams and improve overall practice operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the role of Commure Ambient AI in healthcare provider workflows?
Commure Ambient AI automates provider documentation and revenue cycle management, significantly reducing charting and documentation time by up to 30%, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks.
How does Commure’s AI technology help eliminate phone holds in healthcare?
Commure Agents use advanced natural language processing and full EHR integration to automate complex administrative and clinical tasks, reducing call volumes and wait times by efficiently handling patient inquiries and appointment management digitally.
What specific features of Commure’s AI enhance revenue cycle management (RCM)?
AI-powered automation in eligibility verification, appeals, denials, and charge note reconciliation optimizes first-pass rates, reduces days in accounts receivable, and speeds reimbursements, driving financial efficiency for health systems.
How do Commure AI-powered co-pilots improve provider efficiency?
These co-pilots automate scribing, note creation, coding, and ordering, integrating deeply with existing EHRs to streamline workflows, reduce provider burnout, and increase accuracy with up to 90% zero-edit notes.
What impact did Commure AI have on documentation time in real healthcare settings?
Clinicians, like Dr. Lamberty and Dr. Palakurthy, reported up to 25-30% reduction in documentation time, reclaiming work-life balance and gaining valuable time to respond to patient messages and other clinical activities.
How does Commure’s technology address language barriers in clinical documentation?
By integrating with systems like Epic, Commure Ambient AI achieves near-perfect note accuracy while reducing transcription time, facilitating better care coordination for patients with diverse language needs.
What distinguishes Commure Agents from other healthcare AI solutions?
Commure Agents are fully integrated AI assistants leveraging Large Language Models and real-time EHR data to automate complex, mission-critical tasks in a scalable, security-first healthcare environment.
How has Commure technology been applied to patient care outside of direct provider workflows?
Mount Sinai Health partnered with Commure Engage to create digital navigation programs guiding pre-surgical preparation and recovery, enhancing patient engagement and clinical outcomes through evidence-based protocols.
What evidence supports Commure’s ability to reduce patient no-shows and cancellations?
Yale New Haven Health System’s use of Commure Engage led to swift reductions in no-shows and same-day cancellations via automated, patient-responsive messaging and appointment management.
How does Commure’s AI integrate safety and operational data for hospitals?
Strongline EVP technology merges patient, equipment, and environmental data to create smart hospital workflows that enhance caregiver safety, optimize patient journeys, and improve physical operational efficiency.
