AI scribe cuts after-hours admin in hospital EDs, trial finds

An AI transcribing tool reduces after-hours admin in emergency departments by 81%, enabling doctors to see more patients. Photo / Getty Images

By RNZ

An artificial intelligence transcribing tool substantially cuts after-hours administration in hospital emergency departments, but a primary health academic warns it could damage patient trust in the health system.

An assessment of pilots in Hawke’s Bay and Whanganui emergency departments showed the AI scribe reduced the amount of after-hours admin work by 81%.

It also found that doctors who used the tool were able to see an average of one extra patient per shift.

The Government now plans to roll out the use of the AI scribe to 14 other EDs around the country, including in the busiest departments in Christchurch and Middlemore in Auckland.

The AI scribe records a consultation, automatically creates draft clinical notes, referral letters and follow-up summaries. The doctor then reviews and confirms the notes to make sure they are accurate.

Health NZ director of digital innovation and AI Sonny Taite told Nine to Noon that the pilots showed positive results.

“What we are hearing at the moment is it is a better experience for our clinicians and patients, because there is more direct care,” he said.

“More time face to face, eye to eye. What we are hearing is that admin reduction, we are hearing that loud and clear. The cognitive load is something we thought would happen. But we are hearing that as well. So it makes it easier and better for our clinicians to do their job.”

Taite said ED clinicians often saw multiple patients before writing up patient notes previously.

“They would see you, assess you, and they might see two or three other patients. They would be interrupted by emergencies or urgent cases. They would batch that, and go back to a work station and write notes.”

He said the clinicians would often end up writing up notes after their shifts.

Taite said the AI scribe had a high level of accuracy, but did not get everything right and doctors did need to check it for accuracy.

Ben Gray, a former GP and an Associate Professor in Primary Health at Otago University, said the AI scribes were widely used in GP clinics.

He said he was very concerned that its use did risk damaging people’s trust in their doctor.

“Trust is a fundamental requirement of doing good medical care.

“If my patient doesn’t trust me, they won’t tell me things. If they don’t trust the security of my notes, they won’t tell me things. And they trust me to do my job properly. So introducing any new technology requires working out how to manage that trust.”

He said patients, largely, have not been asked how they feel about the introduction of the AI scribes.

“I’m very concerned that if we don’t do this well, this will diminish trust in our systems because of the Big Brother listening into all our conversations.”

- RNZ