An increasing number of hospitals, health systems and group practices are saying artificial intelligence-powered clinical documentation is a powerful game-changer. And they have the results to back up the claim.
THE CHALLENGE
Richmond, Indiana-based Reid Health is a health system that delivers care across east central Indiana and west central Ohio, with a focus on improving both the patient and provider experiences. It was seeing something many hospitals face – burned out care teams.
Primary and specialty care physicians were drowning in paperwork. Many spent two to three extra hours a day finishing notes after hours. That meant less time with family and not enough time to rest and recharge.
“It wasn’t just about being busy,” said CIO Muhammad Siddiqui. “It was taking a toll on their well-being and job satisfaction. We heard the frustration firsthand. One doctor said she felt ‘hopeless and overwhelmed.’ Another wasn’t sure she could keep doing this long-term.
“At Reid, we’re all about people caring for people – and that includes our own team,” he continued. “We knew we needed a solution to the problem that gave them time back and maybe even brought joy back to their work.”
PROPOSAL
Siddiqui was not chasing the latest tech trend. He and his team just wanted something simple that could ease the burden on clinicians. For them, ambient genAI technology offered exactly that. The idea is powerful: Let doctors focus on their patients while the AI quietly captures the visit and writes the note.
“No more typing during appointments,” he said. “No more trying to remember details hours later. Just natural conversations turned into clinical notes, ready to review and sign. It felt less like using a tool and more like getting a piece of your day back.
“What stood out was how it aligned with our values,” he continued. “We’re focused on care that’s personal, human and sustainable. This tech wasn’t about speed, it was about helping doctors feel connected again.”
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Reid Health started small, launching a pilot with a few high-volume specialties like family medicine, cardiology and urgent care. From day one, Siddiqui and his team brought clinicians into the process. The clinicians used a secure app that listened during visits and created a draft note within minutes, right in the electronic health record.
“The best part – it didn’t interrupt how they worked,” Siddiqui noted. “No extra steps. No awkward tech in the room. Just normal patient conversations. Our tech and informatics teams made sure everything was smooth and secure, and they kept refining things based on real feedback.
“The AI could even handle multiple languages and dialects, which really matters in our diverse community,” he continued. “It picked up the medical context and delivered clear, accurate notes in English. Change management was a big deal for us. We didn’t just drop the tech and walk away. We supported our teams every step of the way. One provider said, ‘I was sold after just one patient. It was such a relief.'”
RESULTS
“The impact has been incredible,” Siddiqui enthused. “We saw up to an 86% drop in how long it took to complete notes, giving doctors more time with their patients and less time staring at a screen. After-hours documentation went down by 34%, which meant many providers could finally go home on time and truly unplug in the evenings.
“One provider’s spouse even told me, ‘Thank you. My husband is home for dinner again,'” he added.
Documentation turnaround improved by 87%, leading to faster patient communication and a better sense of control for clinicians. More than 90% said they wouldn’t want to return to the old way of working.
Reid Health has generated 105,000 notes with 19 specialties live on the ambient genAI. For clinician well-being and retention, there has been a 40–55% decrease in burnout and a 34% reduction in pajama time. Further, there has been an 87% reduction in time to respond to patient phone calls.
ADVICE FOR OTHERS
Start by focusing on the people, Siddiqui advised.
“This isn’t just about technology, it’s about healing the emotional strain on caregivers,” he said. “The biggest return isn’t just faster notes. It’s seeing doctors smile again. It’s giving families their evenings back.
“Involve your clinicians from the start,” he continued. “Let them help shape the rollout. Start with the areas that feel the most overwhelmed, and don’t overlook change management. Support matters. Choose a tool that fits into your system, not one that forces you to change everything. It should work smoothly with your EHR, support your diverse community and feel easy to use.
“For us, ambient genAI has indeed been a game-changer,” he concluded. “But more than that, it brought us back to our mission of caring for people in a way that feels human and real.”
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