LEAWOOD, Kan. — December 15, 2021 —Health care has reached an inflection point: it is more critical than ever to offer technology that improves physician burnout caused by documentation and administrative burden. Fifty-five percent of physicians and clinicians say they feel burned out when going to work, and studies indicate that clerical burdens—including clinical documentation—are a major contributor to burnout.
Today, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), in partnership with Suki, the leader in voice artificial intelligence (AI) technology for health care, announced results from Phase 2 of its Innovation Laboratory on the adoption, use, and impact of an AI Assistant for Documentation by primary care physicians. An affordable, voice-enabled AI Assistant that continually learns, integrates with the EHR, and can be used as a mobile or desktop solution, Suki was labeled as a “breakthrough” by family physicians in the lab.
“AAFP’s series of Innovation Labs identify and demonstrate innovations essential to optimizing the family medicine experience,” said Dr. Steven Waldren, MD, MS, AAFP, vice president and chief medical informatics officer. “Our initial lab provided proof that the use of an AI Assistant can greatly reduce documentation burden and family physician burnout, and Phase 2 of the lab series determined whether an AI assistant is essential to and readily adoptable by family physicians.”
According to Phase 2 of the study, participants in family medicine and other primary care specialties saw a 72% reduction in their median documentation time per note. Lab participants reported a calculated time savings of 3.3 hours per week per clinician and improved satisfaction with their workload and in their practice. Full results and analysis are available in a white paper on the pilot.
“We’re pleased to report that an AI Assistant for Documentation significantly reduced documentation time and burden while providing more flexibility and freedom,” said Waldren. “Clinicians reported their notes were more meaningful and professional. Our conclusion is that an AI Assistant for Documentation is an essential innovation for all family physicians who have documentation burden and experience burnout. It can help optimize their family medicine experience.”
Phase 2 of the lab studied the adoption and impact of an AI Assistant used for visit note completion for 30 days by over 132 family physicians and primary care clinicians. A majority (60%) of lab participants who tried the AI Assistant for Documentation adopted the solution, which was assessed based on the number of participants agreeing to buy the solution and the impact realized during the lab trial. The impact was assessed through a quantitative assessment of documentation time.
Added Punit Soni, CEO of Suki, “We are excited about our continued partnership with the AAFP and the garnered results from Phase 2 of this program. It is our goal to continue lifting the administrative burden from physicians and avoid the burnout that’s threatening physicians’ job satisfaction across health care. We intend to work alongside AAFP to help change that trajectory and to deliver results that transform physician workflows in health care.”
The Lab will now enter Phase 3, where the AAFP will focus on building awareness among family physicians of this essential innovation category and the best practices that have been discovered through both phases of the study. To learn more about Suki and AAFP Innovation Labs, watch this video.
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About American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 133,500 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits -- that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care. To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.
About Suki
Suki is a leading technology company that provides AI-powered voice solutions for healthcare. Its mission is to reimagine the healthcare tech stack, making it invisible and assistive to lift the administrative burden from physicians. Its flagship product is Suki Assistant, an AI-powered, voice enabled digital assistant that helps physicians complete documentation and other administrative tasks 76% faster on average. Suki also offers its proprietary voice platform, Suki Speech Platform (SSP), to partners who want to create a best-in-class voice experience for their solutions. SSP uses the latest in natural language processing and machine learning to provide industry-leading accuracy and natural and fast voice experience. Suki is backed by premier investors such as Venrock, First Round, Flare Capital Partners, March Capital, and Breyer Capital. To learn more, visit suki.ai, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Media Contacts:
Julie Hirschhorn for AAFP
Innsena for Suki
