How providers are using AI in health care appointments, and how patients feel about it

A national survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center asked Americans how they felt about artificial intelligence (AI), especially as it pertains to health care appointments.

The poll of 1,006 people found that most people feel OK about AI’s use in certain health care situations:

• 75% believe using AI to minimize human errors is important.
• 71% would like AI to reduce wait times.
• 70% are comfortable with AI taking notes during an appointment.
• 66% believe AI should improve work-life balance for health care providers.

How AI has been tested at Ohio State

At Ohio State, health care providers have been trying out an AI tool called Microsoft Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot to help improve the experience for both provider and patient. DAX Copilot uses AI to take notes during health care visits based on audio from the appointment, then it drafts clinical notes for the patient’s electronic medical record.

That means the provider can focus on the patient during the visit instead of typing notes, then they review and edit the notes afterward, says Ravi Tripathi, MD, chief health information officer at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

Dr. Tripathi led the pilot program, which involved 24 physicians and advanced practice providers from mid-January to mid-March this year. The technology was tested during outpatient clinic visits in primary care, cardiology and obstetrics and gynecology. For each visit, the provider first obtained the patient’s permission, then recorded the visit through DAX Copilot. After completing the visit, the AI notes were organized and ready for the provider to review in less than a minute.

Patient privacy

Of the Americans surveyed about AI use in health care, 70% said they have concerns about data privacy.

At Ohio State, the data gathered is just as secure as all electronic patient data, Dr. Tripathi says.

“I know patients are concerned about the privacy and the security of their data, but we hold the artificial intelligence and this technology to the same standards that we hold our electronic medical record,” he says.

Benefits of AI in health care appointments

The technology saved time — up to four minutes per visit — but it also helps doctors and other care providers connect better with their patients during the entire appointment, says Harrison Jackson, MD, an internist who participated in the pilot program.

“Documentation is necessary, but it takes away from the quality of patient interaction during a visit. I even apologize. I say, ‘I’m sorry, I know I'm making more eye contact with the computer than with you.’”

Dr. Jackson says that while he did have to fix a few words here and there in the notes (such as incorrect pronouns), these were easy to remedy in his chart review and he’s supportive of using AI in health care in the future.

“I’m spending as much if not more time with each patient, and it’s higher-quality time with more eye contact. I often mention aspects of a physical exam out loud for the AI program to capture, and it prompts a good conversation with my patient,” he says. “I’ve also let our residents use the technology under my supervision, and we’ve noticed the quality of their patient interactions and the quality of plans they present have improved.”

Provider and patient response to AI

Those four minutes saved, Dr. Tripathi says, are valuable time a provider can use to better ensure that a patient understands a treatment plan and has been heard.

“A few clinicians preferred their old workflow but, overall, 80% completed the pilot. In fact, we allowed them to keep using the AI solution afterward because it had significantly impacted their practices in the eight weeks of testing.”

As of July 1, 2024, Ohio State has expanded access to this ambient documentation to all health providers in outpatient care settings. In the first two weeks after having expanded access, 100 Ohio State clinicians regained 64 hours of time. Patient satisfaction scores have improved, as patients say their conversation with their doctors and other care providers were more valuable.