AI scribes are associated with rapid reductions in doctor burnout, suggests a small study published in JAMA Network Open.

The researchers reviewed survey results from 265 doctors at Mass General Brigham Hospital in Massachusetts and 62 at Emory Healthcare in Georgia, both before and after the introduction of AI scribes, which they referred to as ambient documentation technology (ADT).

Previous studies had been limited to one site or one brand of AI scribe and had shown mixed results, the researchers from the two organisations said.

At Mass General Brigham, where approximately half of the doctors used AI scribes in the majority of their consultations, the proportion meeting burnout criteria based on a 39-question survey dropped from 51% at baseline to 29% after 42 days.