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AI-Powered Ambient Scribe Technology Experiences Among Emergency Physicians: Cross-Sectional, Mixed Methods Pilot
Taylor Marquis1, Matthew Kopp1, Jared S Anderson1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States.
JMIR Formative Research
|March 3, 2026
Summary
Emergency physicians find ambient scribe technology satisfactory for improving documentation efficiency and reducing after-shift work. However, trust in accuracy and usefulness for specific tasks remain limited, highlighting the need for further optimization in emergency departments.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Health Informatics
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Background:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered ambient scribe technology is being integrated into clinical documentation.
- Existing studies on ambient scribes primarily focus on outpatient settings, yielding mixed results.
- There is a significant need to evaluate ambient scribe technology specifically within the unique environment of the emergency department (ED).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess emergency physicians' (EPs) satisfaction with ambient scribe technology.
- To evaluate perceived documentation efficiency, after-shift documentation time, and trust in AI-generated notes compared to traditional methods.
- To identify ED-specific challenges associated with ambient scribe implementation.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was administered to 16 board-certified EPs across 4 EDs after several months of using ambient scribe technology.
- The survey included multiple-choice and free-text questions to gather quantitative and qualitative data.
- Mixed methods analysis involved descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for free-text responses.
Main Results:
- A majority of surveyed EPs (64.3%) reported satisfaction with the ambient scribe.
- The technology was perceived to improve documentation efficiency (71.4%) and reduce after-shift documentation time (64.3%).
- Trust in the accuracy of AI-generated notes (42.9%) was lower than for in-person scribes (75%), with limited perceived usefulness for physical exams and medical decision-making.
Conclusions:
- This pilot study provides early insights into ambient scribe use in the ED, suggesting potential for improved efficiency and reduced administrative burden.
- Key challenges specific to the ED environment and patient population were identified.
- While preferred over independent charting by most EPs, further optimization of functionality, reliability, and physician trust is necessary for widespread adoption.
