Edit: To be clear, this is the first time I’ve seen a hospital system suggest something like this with the AI scribes. Across our communities, doctors have been raving about the implementation of AI scribes in their systems and their contribution to well-being. It’s by far the most popular and effective measure we’ve seen to truly combat physician burnout, and I truly think that most systems have done it right, understanding the need to make strides in physician wellness and career longevity as shortages amplify. My intent in posting this instance was not to say that this is the norm, but rather that this is what we need to avoid. Let’s keep AI scribes for their intended purpose - a way to give clinicians more time with their patients and families!
- 70% of physicians wouldn’t recommend a career in medicine to their children.
- Research shows that PCPs need 27 hours in a day to provide guideline-recommended care.
- Studies show that up to 27% of physicians are considering leaving medicine in the next 2 years.
This is the time to take something off the plate of clinicians, not put more on it.
Sharing (with permission) this post from one of our online physician communities at Physician Side Gigs last night. This was the first time I'd seen this suggested 🤦♀️ , and hopefully the last.
I’ve been working on issues related to physician career longevity and the physician shortage for almost a decade now, and while I’ve seen many proposed solutions & pitch decks that claim to address physician burnout, there are very few I've believed would actually move the needle.
Last year, #GenAI and AI scribing solutions hit the main stage. Finally, a product that both allowed physicians to regain time, while also allowing them to focus on the heart of what they love about medicine, the patient-physician relationship.
When Shivdev Rao asked me to join the advisory board of Abridge over a year ago, I quickly said yes, because I actually believed their product was addressing some of the core reasons we see physicians leaving medicine, with a physician-led team that truly prioritizes clinician wellbeing.
Since we first brought the product to our ~200,000 physician members, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. One said they actually cried when they used it for the 1st time. Another said it saved their marriage. Another said they left work for the 1st time in years with their notes done. Another said it reminded them what they loved about medicine. You get the picture.
I won’t name the system where the physician who posted this works, because that’s not my style, but if any of you are in healthcare administration, I implore you not to use these products to mandate increases in visits.
These tools were created (and are working!) to give clinicians time back with their families and loved ones. Let’s use GenAI to make positive changes and give the clinician workforce the win they so desperately need.
#HealthcareOnLinkedIn #PhysicianBurnout
