The Challenge
Clinical documentation requirements can be copious and time-consuming. While concurrent documentation is taught and encouraged, it is a skill that takes time to master – and even when done well can cause a clinician to feel or appear distracted during a patient visit.
The Proposal
Impower, a non-profit organization, was introduced to vendor Eleos at a behavioral health conference about two years ago. The company’s AI technology was presented as an innovative means of helping to reduce the time clinicians spend doing session notes, helping to improve compliance, and enabling staff to better focus on client care.
Meeting the Challenge
Impower started using the technology in late summer 2024, initially in the outpatient therapy department. After some initial testing and feedback, the rest of the staff were trained and the practice went live at the beginning of October.
Results
"It’s too early to offer any concrete results, but we already are very encouraged by what we are seeing," said Marcie Dearth, COO of Impower. "We have 17 therapists actively using the technology and most report it is helping them to be more present with clients during sessions. We are seeing more clinically detailed notes, anecdotally, we are seeing better compliance with documentation submission – fewer late notes – and so far, the technology is demonstrating a 23% reduction in time to complete session notes. As the AI continues to learn common themes and phrases used during sessions, we expect that to reduce even further."
Advice for Others
Technology is advancing patient care at a rapid pace – in the behavioral health space, its use is going to become imperative in order to remain relevant and competitive. "We already have experienced that over the last 10 years," said Dearth. "Impower was a pioneer in the use of telehealth for delivery of behavioral health services in Florida, having transitioned our practice to a fully virtual model in 2013."
Conclusion
Impower is seeing a decrease in late documentation and overall clinical staff love the AI, which is helping to improve efficiency and morale. "In time, we expect that will help us to serve more people," said Dearth.
FAQs
Q: What is the AI technology used by Impower?
A: The AI technology is a system that uses ambient data collection to extract insights and populate suggested text into a clinical note.
Q: How does the AI technology work?
A: The system uses a small box-shaped machine that picks up data, communicates with a computer, and converts it in real-time to text. Staff still have to add and modify details, but the software provides an outline that expedites completion and improves accuracy.
Q: How has the AI technology affected Impower’s workflow?
A: The technology has reduced the time it takes to complete session notes by 23% and has improved compliance with documentation submission.
Q: What are the benefits of using the AI technology?
A: The technology has helped clinicians to be more present with clients during sessions, has improved the quality of notes, and has reduced the time it takes to complete documentation.
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