Researchers at Sutter Health, led by Cheryl Stults, Ph.D., found that an innovative ambient artificial intelligence platform showed promising results in easing the burden of clinical documentation for health care providers. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open , revealed significant reductions in documentation time and improved overall clinician satisfaction. It also highlights the technology's potential to address long-standing challenges in the medical profession.
Key findings include:
- Time savings: Clinicians experienced a significant decrease in time spent on notes per appointment, reducing their workload. Mean time in notes per appointment decreased from 6.2 to 5.3 minutes (p<0.001).
- Enhanced wellness: The implementation of ambient artificial intelligence resulted in a significant decrease in mental strain, reducing feelings of haste and lowering the perceived complexity of documentation duties.
- Enhanced job satisfaction: Overall satisfaction with work improved, and some reductions in burnout were observed (42.1% to 35.1%, p=0.12). One survey respondent said, "I go home happy. It's [bringing] back the joy of medicine—taking care of patients without the drain of doing clerical work."
"According to our research outcomes, ambient AI has the capability to save clinicians' time as well as improve their overall wellbeing by reducing the stress related to paperwork duties," stated Veena Jones, M.D., lead researcher of the study and the chief medical information officer at Sutter Health.
This backing significantly benefits patients, who remain central to what we do. Ambient artificial intelligence assists healthcare providers in being more engaged with patients during consultations, enabling them to concentrate more intently on patient care.
The increasing requirements for documenting in electronic health records, particularly outside standard clinic work hours, have healthcare workers adversely affected leading to increasing instances of physician burnout. Ambient AI provides a novel solution by monitoring clinical appointments and producing precise, structured progress notes, enabling doctors to dedicate more time to patient care during each session.
Study overview
Launched in April 2024, this study included 100 clinicians from Sutter Health who represent various specializations throughout Northern California. Data gathered through surveys and quantitatively both prior to and following the deployment showed considerable enhancements such as shortened time spent on documentation and less mental strain for doctors. Furthermore, thanks to the technology supplied by Abridge, healthcare providers were able to forge stronger connections with their patients, thus improving the entire caregiving process.
"They express their gratitude at every appointment for dedicating ample time to them, even though I spend the usual duration," explained Emily Conway, M.D., a cardiologist with Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods in Santa Rosa.
"Also, Abridge will often capture something that I mentally screened out, but was actually the patient's main concern. When patients see it in the summary, they really appreciate that I included it and feel more heard."
Looking ahead
While results were positive, the study noted variations in the impact of ambient AI based on clinician gender and clinical specialty. These findings underscore the need for further research as this rapidly evolving technology is scaled.
"This study highlights the power of research to demonstrate the real-world value of emerging technologies," said Matthew Solomon, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Sutter Health. "It is a strong example of how Sutter is building a learning health system—one where knowledge is shared, scaled and applied to better support patients and care teams."
More information: Cheryl D. Stults et al. Evaluation of an Ambient Artificial Intelligence Documentation Platform for Clinicians, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.8614 . jamanetwork.com/journals/jaman … /fullarticle/2833433
Provided by Sutter Health
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