AI Scribes Linked to Modest EHR Time Reductions

Key Takeaways:

• AI scribe access was associated with modest reductions in EHR and documentation time (≈13–16 minutes per 8-hour session).
• Weekly visit volume increased slightly, while after-hours EHR time did not change significantly.
• Findings are based on observational data using a difference-in-differences design, with subgroup variation and no assessment of documentation quality or clinical outcomes.

A multisite longitudinal cohort study across five US academic health care institutions, published in JAMA, reported that adoption of an AI-powered scribe was associated with modest changes in ambulatory clinicians’ measured EHR time, documentation time, and weekly visit volume. The authors used a difference-in-differences approach, comparing changes among clinicians with access to the AI scribe versus nonadopters over the same period, under standard assumptions of this design. Outcomes were normalized to a typical clinical session to standardize EHR activity and paired with visit-volume measures.

The cohort included 8,581 ambulatory clinicians, of whom 1,809 were classified as adopters during the study window (June 2023 through August 2025). Adoption was defined as receiving access to the AI scribe (an exposure similar to an intent-to-treat framework), with opt-in access at four of the five participating sites. Actual usage intensity was analyzed separately in subgroup analyses.

Outcomes included multiple EHR time measures normalized to 8 scheduled patient hours and a weekly visit-volume measure. In pooled difference-in-differences estimates, AI scribe access was associated with 13.4 fewer minutes of total EHR time per 8 scheduled patient hours (95% CI, 9.1 to 17.7) and 16.0 fewer minutes of documentation time (95% CI, 13.7 to 18.3). Weekly visit volume increased by 0.49 visits per week (95% CI, 0.17 to 0.81). There was no statistically significant change in after-hours EHR time. Overall, these findings reflect modest reductions in measured documentation burden alongside a small increase in visit volume in an observational framework.

The authors reported larger associations in certain clinician groups, including primary care clinicians, advanced practice clinicians, and female clinicians, as well as among those using the AI scribe in at least 50% of visits. These subgroup findings are descriptive and should be interpreted cautiously.

The study was conducted in academic ambulatory settings, and outcomes were limited to EHR activity time and visit volume. Broader outcomes—such as documentation quality, patient safety, or clinical outcomes—were not assessed in the reported analysis.