As a clinician, I understand the value of time in healthcare. The administrative tasks, or ‘administrivia’, that we have to complete on a daily basis can be incredibly frustrating. It comes as no surprise that clinical documentation and notetaking are among the top three areas where healthcare leaders plan to implement automation in the next three years.
It’s no secret that manual documentation is often tedious and time-consuming, taking away from the precious time that healthcare professionals could be spending on providing care to patients. For example, I recall spending an additional 25-30 minutes documenting a two-hour angiography procedure after it was completed. Not only did this waste my time, but also the supporting nurse, the angio technician, and the anesthesiologist who had to devote time to documenting our work instead of providing care to patients.
With the help of intelligent technology that can automate documentation tasks, we can streamline processes that used to be time-consuming. By freeing up more time for healthcare professionals to focus on providing care to patients, we can improve the overall quality of healthcare delivery. For instance, having technology automatically document important milestones during a procedure, such as when the patient entered the room, when the catheter was inserted, which catheter was used, and when the stent was deployed, would greatly improve efficiency. Generative AI could then create pre-filled reports tailored for each clinician involved in the procedure, significantly reducing the time spent on documentation.