A recent survey from the American Medical Association found that 66% of medical providers used AI in some capacity in the past year. That represented a dramatic 78% increase from the prior year.
Usage is only going up, but many providers remain skeptical about AI. Resistance to change is understandable—particularly when AI-focused headlines often seem better described as “clickbait” than substantive. However, practices that dismiss the idea of AI-enabled workflows are missing out on valuable opportunities to measurably boost efficiency, increase patient satisfaction, and reduce costs.
When applied strategically, AI can make a real impact in day-to-day practice operations and throughout the patient journey. So, how should a practice best determine where to focus efforts when it comes to AI enablement?
“First and foremost, AI adoption should be thoughtful, not frenzied,” says Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Ph.D., chief data and analytics officer at NextGen Healthcare and a globally recognized AI expert. “An AI-driven tool should always address real need and make life easier for the humans using it.”
As your practice assesses opportunities for AI adoption, start by considering gaps or weaknesses in current workflows, as well as the frustrations that are regularly expressed by patients, providers, and staff.
Here’s a helpful framework for kicking off your evaluation:
Pre-visit
Doctors are busy, and so are patients. AI can now provide a valuable shortcut to understanding a new patient’s history before the patient and provider even lock eyes.
With AI-powered patient summaries that synthesize pertinent patient information, providers can glance at the EHR for a helpful primer on each patient before appointments begin. This additional context can help the patient-provider conversation feel better focused and more productive.
Patient encounter
The efficiency boost doesn’t have to stop there. Now, AI can enhance diagnostic accuracy by offering diagnosis suggestions and prompting relevant lab, imaging, or medication orders.
It’s important to note that this support is never intended to “supersede” the provider’s professional judgement—the doctor must review and approve these suggestions and can overrule them at any point.
Documentation
“Pajama time” is a term commonly used to describe the after-work hours when many providers are obligated to catch up on documentation. All too often, this documentation burden robs providers of work-life balance—making them susceptible to burnout and more likely to leave the field entirely.
AI-driven ambient listening technology like NextGen® Ambient Assist can save providers up to 2.5 hours of documentation time per day while reducing the costs associated with reliance on human scribes. This time savings is a real win for patients, too; it can shorten wait times for appointments by enabling providers to see more patients each day.
Coding
Now, let’s shift gears a bit and consider coding and billing. AI can support accurate and efficient claim generation, in addition to automating the handling of claims denials and follow-ups.
This can foster a better overall patient experience because it ensures patients deal with fewer surprises and frustrations when it comes to the financial realities of healthcare. When someone is sick, they deserve to spend more time focused on their care and less time focused on finances.
Post-visit
Of course, much of a patient’s health management happens outside the walls of their physician’s office. AI can facilitate ongoing communication between patient and practice by automating the delivery of patient education materials, generating appointment reminders, and sending summarized test results.
From pre- to post-visit, what do all of these AI use cases have in common? They deliver tangible results to real problems.
“Ultimately, AI itself is not the point,” says Dr. Kumar. “AI is only as good as its usefulness. If your practice commits to first assessing need and then applying AI where appropriate, you’ll earn the trust and see the enthusiasm of your patients, staff, and providers.”
You may win over some skeptics, too.
To learn how NextGen Healthcare is helping practices nationwide adopt AI seamlessly and securely, visit nextgen.ai.
