Department of Family Medicine

Alicia Jacobs, M.D., associate professor of family medicine and a family care physician at the UVM Health Network

(JULY 16, 2024) Alicia Jacobs, M.D., associate professor of family medicine and a family care physician at the UVM Health Network, was interviewed by NBC5 about the expanding use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the University of Vermont Health Network to help doctors avoid burnout.

It’s known as ambient AI, and with patients’ permission, doctors can use an app created by the company Abridge to record the audio portion of a patient visit. At the end of the exam, the app transcribes the recording into a full doctor’s note so doctors don’t have to take their own notes during an exam and can provide undivided attention to their patients.

“I just never thought that something this amazing could come our way and really be such a game changer in the practice of medicine,” Jacobs said. Being able to pay full attention to her patients is just one of the impacts she’s experienced using the app. “I am no longer burnt out. I mean, it brings tears to my eyes when I talk about this. I am present with my patients. I go home, my partner is no longer worried about me. Like this is moving, unbelievable stuff,” she said.

Having more time to embrace the human experience is one of the biggest reasons doctors in the pilot program said they’re feeling less burned out at work.

“Our burnout rates dropped by 33 percent, an absolute 33 percent,” Jacobs said. “We’ve never seen anything like that before.”

Jacobs said the network will be expanding access to the app to all primary physicians at UVM over the next three months and then start rolling it out to specialty care doctors, too.

This topic was also covered by Vermont Public, WCAX-TV, and Healthcare Finance News.