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Longitudinal effects of ambient artificial intelligence scribe use on documentation burden and financial productivity in primary care: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract Objectives To investigate the longitudinal effects of an ambient artificial intelligence (AI) scribe use in primary care on outcomes related to documentation time, note writing patterns, and clinician financial productivity. Materials and Methods We conducted a quasi-experimental study with an interrupted time-series design to ascertain the effect of AI scribe use on note writing time, time outside of scheduled hours (TOSH), pajama time (5:30PM-7:00aM), note length, note closure <24 h, and work relative…

By the Truvace desk2 min read1 sourcePeer-reviewedTRV-2026-1897· cite & verify
Longitudinal effects of ambient artificial intelligence scribe use on documentation burden and financial productivity in primary care: a quasi-experimental study
Hospital Universitari Doctor Peset, València 11 by 19Tarrestnom65. CC BY-SA 4.0 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

In brief

Researchers tracked 220 primary care clinicians from 36 clinics, covering 314,845 patient encounters, using an interrupted time-series design. Each clinician was compared across the 150 days before and after first access to an ambient AI scribe. Note writing time fell 7% at the start and 16% by day 150, with after-hours measures improving later.

The findings matter because documentation burden is a pressure point in primary care, and the results suggest benefits build up as clinicians fit the tool into their routines. The study is quasi-experimental and follows a defined 150-day window, so it cannot show whether the changes last longer or whether they would hold in other settings.

Main points

  1. The study included 220 clinicians, 56.4% of them physicians, from 36 clinics, with 314,845 patient encounters.
  2. Note writing time fell 7% on day 0 and 16% by day 150.
  3. Time outside scheduled hours fell 13% and pajama time fell 19% by day 150, with no change at day 0.
  4. Work relative value units rose 2% by day 150, and note length did not change.

The gain

Across 220 primary care clinicians, ambient AI scribe use was linked to a growing reduction in note writing time, less after-hours work, and a slight increase in work relative value units by day 150.

The rundown

The design set each clinician's date of initial access as day 0 and measured outcomes for 150 days before and after. Outcomes were note writing time, time outside scheduled hours, pajama time from 5:30PM to 7:00AM, note length, note closure within 24 hours, and work relative value units.

At day 0 there was a 5% increase in note closures within 24 hours, but this did not differ from pre-period levels by day 150. Pajama time, time outside scheduled hours, and wRVU showed no change at day 0, so those effects emerged only with continued use.

The authors conclude that the changes persisted and developed over time as clinicians situated the tools within their workflows.

Sources

  1. Peer-reviewedJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association2026-10-18

The debate