Impacta Costa
In-person Scribes
Scribes shadow physicians, document notes, and perform administrative tasks. Due to cost, they are not broadly used by FPs or PCPs. When used fully, scribes dramatically relieve administrative burden.		+++$$$$
$2,000–$4,500/month
Virtual Scribes
Virtual scribes are connected to the physician using IT. Often offshored, they are less expensive than in-person scribes. Transcription is often not in real time, with up to a 24-hour delay. One study found that 85% of physicians using virtual scribes reported reduction in burnout.b They also spent less time on notes (reduction of up to 1 hour/day), which resulted in less EHR time overall (reduction of up to 1.1 hours/day).		+++$$
$1,000–$1,200/month
Medical Speech Recognition
Speech recognition technology is well established. It uses IT to transcribe notes in real time but often requires the physician to point and click or place the cursor to edit. While physicians report satisfaction (78%) and improved efficiency (77%), this technology has not yet been shown to bring burden relief to family physicians.c 		++$
$25–$200/month
AI Assistant
Voice-enabled AI assistants (akin to Siri, Alexa, or Hey Google) allow physicians to document without directly interacting with the EHR, and they offer consumer-friendly features and costs. EHR integration is essential to take full advantage of an AI assistant's capabilities. Participants in an AAFP Innovation Lab reported 72% reduction in median documentation time per note, 40% reduction in after-hours time on weekends, and 20% increase in practice satisfaction.d 		+++$
$150–$200/month
Ambient Speech Recognition

  • AI and voice technology “listen” to the visit and craft a clinical note for the physician. Some solutions still require a “person in the loop,” which keeps the cost up, but AI is evolving.

  • One pilot program found that 79% of physicians reported improved documentation quality after using an ambient speech recognition system, and 70% reported reduction in burnout and fatigue.e In addition, 81% of patients said their physician was more focused during visits.

TBD$-$$$
$TBD-$1,800/month