Are Televisits Increasing Work Outside Work?
Telemedicine as a mode of healthcare delivery has taken off ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made care more accessible and highly convenient for patients. However, this shift has brought about an unintended consequence - a considerable increase in the after-hours documentation for physicians. New research shows that telehealth use leads to more after-hours work, which can contribute to higher burnout rates. So, what could be the solution? AI scribes might just be the answer. These tools generate accurate SOAP notes in real time during virtual consultations, significantly reducing the need for after-hours documentation. This helps physicians stay focused on patient care, wrap up on time, minimize stress and most importantly, enjoy a better work-life balance.
Teleheath Is Here To Stay
Before the pandemic, not many people used telehealth but that changed quickly. In 2019, only about 1 in 10 Americans had tried it. By 2020, that rose to 43%. Today, almost 54% of Americans have used telehealth services, and 1 in 6 have had four or more visits. Telehealth has now become a popular choice for routine care, chronic conditions, and mental health support. While it saves travel time and broadens access, it has also increased after-hours EHR work for physicians, as virtual visits often require more time for documentation. AI scribes can help ease this burden by capturing notes in real time, allowing physicians to stay focused on their patients and reduce after-hours charting. With $250B in healthcare possibly moving online, AI scribe support will be essential to keeping telehealth efficient and sustainable.
How AI Scribes Help In Televisits
AI scribes make telehealth visits easier and more efficient for physicians. They listen to the virtual consultation and document the conversation in real time, creating accurate and structured notes that go directly into the patient’s medical record. This means physicians can fully focus on patients instead of typing or navigating the EHR. Key details like symptoms, medical history, and treatment plans are automatically captured and organized, so nothing gets missed. With notes ready by the end of the visit, follow-up becomes faster and easier. By reducing the need for after-hours documentation, AI scribes help prevent burnout and support a better work-life balance. In short, AI scribes make virtual care more efficient, accurate, and truly patient-centered.
Benefits Of AI Scribes In Telehealth Services
AI scribes are becoming an indispensable part of telehealth by helping physicians manage their documentation more efficiently. Let’s see some of the benefits of using AI scribes for telehealth services.
- Capture notes in real-time as the virtual visit unfurls, so physicians don’t have to stay up late updating charts.
- Allow physicians to focus fully on talking to and examining the patient without being distracted by typing or clicking through screens.
- Minimize after-hours work, helping physicians enjoy more personal time and maintain a healthier work-life balance.
- Create high-quality structured notes that are ready by the end of the visit.
- Speed up care decisions, as physicians can quickly review completed notes and take the next steps without delay.
- Keep physicians engaged during the visit, leading to more meaningful conversations and a better patient experience.
- Support long-term telehealth growth by making virtual care more manageable, even as patient volume continues to rise.
Why Extra Hours Work Needs Extra Attention
As virtual care continues to grow, physicians are spending more time after-hours catching up on documentation - writing patient notes, updating charts, and finalizing records. This rise in "work after work" can lead to exhaustion, dissatisfaction, and ultimately burnout – key factors that drive physician turnover. Addressing this issue now is critical not only to support physician well-being but also to maintain the quality of patient care and reduce the risk of increased turnover and staffing shortages. An AI-powered tool reduces the documentation burden by automatically transcribing and summarizing virtual visits, generating EHR-ready notes. By minimizing after-hours workload, it boosts job satisfaction, and helps reduce burnout and turnover.
Conclusion
As the U.S. telehealth market is expected to grow significantly, reaching over USD 55 billion by the end of 2025, it’s crucial to address the hidden challenge faced by physicians - the after-hours EHR work. AI scribes are indeed a perfect solution to this growing problem. They can transcribe and summarize notes in real-time during virtual visits, so physicians don’t have to spend extra hours charting after work, reducing burnout and giving them more personal time. As telehealth expands, AI scribes have become essential in helping physicians provide high-quality care without sacrificing their well-being or work-life balance.
Doing more virtual visits lately? Let Scribe4Me AI handle the note taking so you can log off early and spend more time with family!