Reclaiming provider work-life balance with AI and automation

As medical practices grapple with rising workloads and growing clinician burnout, artificial intelligence (AI) keeps emerging as a potential solution. From streamlining documentation to enhancing patient engagement, AI-powered tools are reshaping the day-to-day experience for providers and their care teams.

Dr. Michael Blackman, Chief Medical Officer at Greenway Health, explores how AI — and specifically Greenway Clinical Assist — is helping practices operate more efficiently and reclaim valuable time. With a background in both internal medicine and pediatrics, along with over 15 years of experience in healthcare technology, Dr. Blackman offers a grounded perspective on how AI can serve as a true assistant in clinical workflows, rather than a replacement.

AI as a Support Tool, Not a Replacement

AI often sparks concerns about job displacement, but Dr. Blackman emphasizes that its primary role in healthcare is to aid in providing care without taking over the entire process. “Think about it as an assistant. It's not a replacement,” he says. “It still requires human oversight and paying attention to what you're looking at.” He explains that while AI can accelerate and automate certain tasks, its true power lies in supporting clinical decision-making and reducing administrative burden — not making autonomous medical decisions.

“People talk, ‘Oh, will AI replace doctors?’ And the short answer to that is no,” Dr. Blackman says. “But likely, doctors who use AI may replace those who don't.”

The Rise of Ambient Documentation with Greenway Clinical Assist

A core topic of the conversation was Greenway Clinical Assist, an AI-powered ambient documentation solution that captures physician-patient conversations and generates clinical notes. “It starts with being an ambient documentation solution,” Dr. Blackman explains. “As you're having a conversation with the patient, the system listens to the conversation and then writes a note based on that conversation.”

He emphasizes that providers still need to review and approve these notes but pointed out the efficiency gains: “It turns documentation from being what has traditionally been an after event… to being a byproduct of the work you're already doing.” This shift not only saves time but can also improve the accuracy of clinical documentation. “One provider in particular said to me, ‘I'm getting to spend more focus on my patient. It's taking me less time, and it's generating a better note.’”

Patient Engagement and Transparency

Beyond efficiency, Dr. Blackman notes that Greenway Clinical Assist promotes greater patient engagement. Because clinicians must verbalize observations for the tool to capture them, patients become more aware of the clinical process. “There’s some benefit from that just to conveying that information to the patient,” he says. “They’re hearing it. They might even have a… ‘Tell me more about that.’ So I think that there’s a real benefit in actually verbalizing what is being done.”

This enhanced communication contributes to higher patient satisfaction. According to data shared by Greenway Health, 81% of patients reported increased satisfaction with providers using the tool.

Reducing Time Pressure and Burnout

The impact on provider well-being is equally significant. Dr. Blackman shares metrics showing that 90% of users report less time pressure. “Time pressure sort of goes back to burnout and back to that pajama time,” he says, referencing the common practice of physicians finishing notes after hours. By reducing after-hours work, providers can improve their work-life balance and be more present during patient visits.

“When I was in full-time practice... after I put my kids to bed, you could often find me sitting on the couch calling patients,” Dr. Blackman recalls. Tools like Greenway Clinical Assist help ensure that documentation happens in real time, allowing providers to reclaim their evenings.

Addressing Staff Concerns About Automation

For practices hesitant about adopting AI due to fears of job loss, Dr. Blackman offers a reframing strategy. “My first question to people is pretty much, ‘what are you not spending time on that you would like to? And what are you doing that you don't think adds value?’” He encourages practice leaders to look for areas where automation can relieve staff from low-value tasks so they can focus more on meaningful patient interactions. “An extra conversation with a patient, an extra two minutes, whatever it may be… improving that human interaction and not taking away from it.”

The Bigger Picture: Trends in Healthcare IT

Dr. Blackman also highlights three broader trends shaping healthcare IT:

• Advanced Clinical Decision Support: “Moving beyond simple algorithms... to say, ‘Hey, did you think about this?’”
• Virtual Care and Remote Monitoring: Emphasizing prevention over reactive care.
• Interoperability: “How do we continue to share data and information across practices?”

He believes these trends, coupled with AI, are driving a transformation toward more connected, proactive and efficient healthcare delivery models.

Evaluating AI Tools for Your Practice

For medical practices evaluating AI solutions, Dr. Blackman suggests starting with a simple but essential question: “What problem are you trying to solve?” From there, practices should ensure that tools work cohesively within their existing systems and aren’t duplicating capabilities they already possess. He concludes by adding, “Look at what you currently have. It’s quite possible that what you currently have has more capability than you realize.”

Greenway Clinical Assist demonstrates how AI can be thoughtfully deployed to reduce provider burnout, improve patient satisfaction and increase operational efficiency. As practices continue navigating the complexities of modern care delivery, tools that support — rather than replace — clinicians will be essential to building healthier and more sustainable healthcare systems.

Resources:

• Visit the Greenway Health website
• Learn more about Greenway Clinical Assist
• Connect with Dr. Michael Blackman on LinkedIn