Is AI the 'easy button' for orthopedic practices? 5 key takeaways

In an interactive session at Becker's 21st Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, Molly Van Oordt, director of specialty solutions, NextGen Healthcare, led a discussion on technology innovation in orthopedics with Bob Murry, PhD, MD, chief medical officer for NextGen Healthcare, and Keith Nord, MD, orthopedic hand surgeon at Sports, Orthopedics and Spine (Jackson, Tenn.).

Panelists discussed the potential of artificial intelligence to ease physicians' workloads and reduce burnout, as they highlighted the use of AI in transcribing and documenting patient interactions. Dr. Murry and Dr. Nord also demonstrated an AI-assisted patient visit, showing how ambient technology can generate a detailed medical note in real time. They discussed how AI can support future patient visits, integrating patient-reported outcomes and improving the overall patient experience. While AI can greatly assist in administrative tasks, Dr. Murry and Dr. Nord acknowledged this technology is not yet ready to make diagnoses or replace the human touch in patient care.

Below are five key takeaways from their discussion.

Editor's note: Quotes have been edited lightly for length and clarity.

1. The use of AI in healthcare, particularly in orthopedic practices, can significantly reduce the time spent on documentation and allow physicians to focus more on patient care.

Time and energy spent in EHRs and documenting patient visits are significant contributors to physician burnout. AI technology, such as ambient listening, can help alleviate this burden by automatically transcribing patient-provider conversations and generating medical notes. This allows physicians to spend more time with patients and reduces the time spent on administrative tasks.

"I used to dictate through lunch every single day. I used to stay for an hour after clinic every single day. I don't do either of those now, and I'm seeing five to seven more patients daily just because of the sheer time savings. And we're saving on our transcription costs, as we're not paying a scribe in person anymore." – Dr. Nord

2. Ambient technology, such as NextGen's Ambient Assist, has unexpected benefits for orthopedic practices, such as improved patient plans and increased attention to patients. 

Ambient listening tools enable physicians to capture patient plans accurately and efficiently, as well as focus more on the patient during the visit. The technology is particularly useful for handling complex visits and chronic conditions, allowing physicians to provide better — more personable — care to their patients.

"I think honestly, patients enjoy more face-to-face time instead of me focusing on taking notes." – Dr. Nord

3. The integration of AI technology with EHR systems is crucial for efficacy and efficiency.

Such integration is a unique feature of NextGen's Ambient Assist, which allows for seamless workflows and immediate access to patient notes. The AI-generated notes can be easily edited and integrated into the patient's record, saving time and improving efficiency.

"Technology that's deeply integrated with the EHR gives the opportunity to look at all of the challenges — not just writing the note, but getting the orders and talking to the patient, educating the patient, getting consent and all the other things that slow people down or present friction in the patient experience and the provision of good care." – Dr. Murry

4. AI has the potential to revolutionize patient care by predicting and presenting information before the patient visit.

In providing information like patient-reported outcomes, previous medical history and treatment plans, Dr. Murry and Dr. Nord expect AI technology will proactively assist physicians in making more informed decisions and improving patient care.

"I really see it especially for family practice, for staying on top of your guidelines — like, 'hey, this patient's overdue for this. You may consider this for this encounter.' It'll help with those guidelines and best practices for staying in that sweet spot of doing the best thing for the patient." – Dr. Nord

5. AI technology can be a valuable tool for physician entrepreneurship and private practice physicians.

Ambient tools can help reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency in private practice settings. This can allow physicians to see more patients, save time on documentation and focus on providing quality care. The use of AI technology can also help private practice physicians stay competitive and attract and retain patients.

"I think patient education is a big opportunity in orthopedics, where you could set up your own feature. Patients ought to have a zillion questions about their procedures, and it's a better way to offer them reliable answers to those questions as opposed to Dr. Google." – Dr. Murry

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