The impact of artificial intelligence scribes on physician and advanced practice provider cognitive load and well-being

Background and Significance Physician and advanced practice provider (APP) well-being is a critical focus in healthcare. Emerging technology such as generative artificial intelligence (GAI) scribes reduces physician and APP administrative burden created by electronic health records. Early adopters of this technology have demonstrated promising improvements in clinical documentation, well-being, and cognitive load. However, further exploration across professional roles is warranted. Objective The goal of this quality improvement initiative was to explore how GAI scribes impacted well-being, cognitive load, and practice efficiency among physicians and APPs across professional roles. Methods A cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted prior to implementation of GAI scribe technology and 3 months after physicians and APPs were onboarded. Results Physicians and APPs showed a reduction in cognitive task load following scribe technology implementation. Physicians reported reduced burnout and intent to leave; however, APPs did not have a significant reduction in burnout or intent to leave. Conclusion Artificial intelligence scribe technology shows potential for improving well-being among physicians and APPs by reducing cognitive load and clinical documentation time. Although some differences were found, overall, the technology appears to hold promise across professional roles.