This article is sponsored by the Dragon Ambient eXperience at Nuance. The exam of the future has arrived with clinical documentation that writes itself.

Recently, I participated in a virtual webinar, “How AI technologies improve the patient experience,” along with Dr. Jesse Affonso, orthopedic surgeon at Cape Cod Orthopedics. We discussed the difference between patient experience and patient satisfaction, the correlation between the two, and the role technology plays.

In a nutshell, I think it’s this: A poor patient experience can lead to low patient satisfaction. A good patient experience can lead to high patient satisfaction. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality, the patient experience encompasses the range of interactions patients have with the health care system and includes several aspects of health care delivery such as timely appointments, easy access to information, and good communication with health care providers. At the same time, patient satisfaction is about whether a patient’s expectations about a health encounter were met.

This all begs the question: How can one improve the patient experience and satisfaction?

I think we can all agree that a good patient experience includes obtaining a timely appointment, friendly and professional interactions with staff, and good communication and trust in their provider. But we know that this isn’t always the case. It takes too long to get an appointment, the staff is hurried, and providers are looking at their computers more than their patients.

According to the American Medical Association, more than half of physicians are burned out and spend two hours on administrative work for every hour of direct patient care. This directly impacts the patient experience as physicians are scrambling to get to their next patient, document care in between patients, or document after hours. Patients are sitting in waiting rooms, and then when they are seen, the physician is often talking and typing at the same time, unable to focus on them and hindering communication and trust which is not ideal for patients or providers.

With the right technologies, physicians can deliver high-quality health care experiences, and patients can get the health care experience they need and deserve.

That’s what Dr. Affonso did when he started using the Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) over a year ago. With Nuance DAX, he’s able to see 3 to 4 more patients in a day, spend more time with his family, and improve the quality of his documentation.  He doesn’t even bring a computer to the exam room. He brings up the DAX mobile app on his cell phone, taps the record button, and automatically captures the conversation.

I have noticed a huge improvement both in the quality of my life and in the patient’s experience. I no longer must bring a computer into the room with me, and I am no longer scrambling to get out of the room to start frantically typing to document the note. I believe I am more effectively meeting the patient’s expectations regarding their overall experience and satisfaction levels.

That conversation is then converted into a clinical note and placed in the EHR for his review and signature. AI-powered DAX is smart and knows what information to include in a note and what not to include. It understands English spoken with any accent and is highly trained in all ambulatory specialties, including primary care and urgent care, and can be used for both in-office and telehealth visits.

 The art of medicine is such a vital part of medicine. The science is the clerical part. I think this technology really allows you to focus more on the art of medicine. And the art of medicine is to develop strong patient relationships and to tease out challenging or difficult issues. DAX has eliminated the clerical burden that had been competing with my time with the patient and allowed me to be present and engaged during the visit.

Patients want the best care possible. And physicians want to provide the best care possible. The fusion of art and medicine can deliver a better patient experience with AI-powered, voice-enabled documentation that’s revolutionizing health care.

Jared Pelo is an emergency physician and chief medical information officer, Dragon Ambient eXperience at Nuance. Jesse Affonso is an orthopedic surgeon.

Image credit: Nuance