Sutter Health study highlights the power and potential of ambient AI to improve clinician well-being

(Press-News.org) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 2, 2025) – 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 healthcare 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

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).
  Improved Well-Being: Use of ambient AI led to a marked reduction in mental demand, including feeling rushed and perceived difficulty in documentation tasks.  
  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.” “Our research findings demonstrate the potential of ambient AI to not only save clinicians time, but also enhance their well-being by alleviating the burden associated with documentation tasks,” said Veena Jones, M.D., senior author of the study and Sutter Health’s chief medical information officer. “This support also has a ripple effect for patients, who lie at the heart of our work. Ambient AI helps clinicians be more present with patients during their appointments, so they can focus more closely on their care.”

Why It Matters
The growing demands of electronic health record documentation, especially outside regular clinic working hours, have negatively impacted healthcare professionals resulting in rising rates of burnout among physicians. Ambient AI offers an innovative option by listening to clinical visits and generating accurate and organized progress notes, allowing clinicians to focus more time with their patients during each visit.

Study Overview
The study, launched in April 2024, involved 100 clinicians within Sutter Health, representing a broad range of specialties across Northern California. The quantitative and survey data collected before and after implementation revealed significant improvements, including reduced “time in notes” and decreased cognitive burden. In addition, the technology, provided by the company Abridge, enabled clinicians to better connect with their patients, enhancing the overall care experience.

“Patients love it. They thank me at the end of each visit for spending so much time with them, when really it's the same amount of time,” said 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.”

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