US-based non-profit health system Christus Health has signed an enterprise-wide agreement to implement Abridge's generative artificial intelligence (genAI) clinical documentation platform across its network.
This decision follows a successful pilot of Abridge’s genAI solution to facilitate clinical documentation that demonstrated a significant reduction in clinician burnout and improved patient care.
Christus Health piloted this genAI solution earlier this year, assessing its impact on clinician well-being.
The positive outcomes from the study led to the system-wide adoption of the technology.
According to Abridge, survey results highlighted that, after the deployment of its gen AI platform, clinicians reported spending 60% less time on documentation after working hours, contributing to a better work-life balance.
In addition, the deployment of Abridge's platform resulted in a 40% decrease in the physician burnout rate, as measured by the Mini Z Burnout Survey.
Clinicians also noted a 41% increase in their ability to give patients their undivided attention, which has enhanced communication and patient satisfaction.
The cognitive load on healthcare professionals, a known factor in burnout and patient safety issues, has seen a 78% reduction since integrating Abridge's solution.
This has allowed for a more focused and efficient approach to patient care at Christus Health.
Within the next few months, Christus Health, which has a network of 15,000 physicians and more than 600 care centres, aims to extend Abridge's genAI platform to all of its ambulatory clinicians.
Christus Health Ambulatory chief medical information officer Dr Timothy Barker said: “I am very excited about our enterprise agreement with Abridge, which we believe is going to transform clinical practice for our ambulatory physicians. In fact, it is going to be more transformative than anything I have seen in the last 20 years.”
Abridge CEO and founder Dr Shiv Rao added: “By alleviating cognitive load and creating space for more meaningful patient interactions, we will improve the lives of clinicians today and draw the next generation of patient care providers to the profession.”
Abridge's technology has already been successfully deployed in several other health systems, including UChicago Medicine, Yale New Haven Health System, and UPMC.
In March this year, Sutter Health confirmed plans to launch Abridge’s genAI clinical documentation platform for its physicians in California, US.
