Healthcare AI: Vetting Solutions to Combat Clinician Burnout & 'Pajama Time'

Clinician burnout remains a pervasive and critical challenge within the U.S. healthcare sector, prompting organizations nationwide to seek innovative solutions. A growing number are turning to artificial intelligence, exploring its potential to alleviate strain on their teams and enhance operational efficiency. However, as the market floods with AI companies positioning themselves as the panacea, hospital executives and clinicians often find themselves overwhelmed, struggling to effectively evaluate and implement these myriad offerings. This mirrors a broader industry trend, where a recent CDW Artificial Intelligence Research Report found that 62 percent of IT professionals acknowledge their organizations possess sound AI concepts but falter in execution.

In New Mexico, Presbyterian Medical Group stands out for its methodical approach to AI evaluation and deployment, yielding positive outcomes for both physicians and patients. Dr. Darren Shafer, President of Presbyterian Medical Group and an emergency medicine physician based in Albuquerque, highlights a primary goal: reducing “pajama time.” This colloquial term refers to the hours clinicians spend after work completing charting and responding to patient messages, a burden Shafer describes as “incredibly corrosive to someone’s longevity in working in healthcare.” For Presbyterian, leveraging AI for efficiency gains has become a top IT priority, though the sheer volume of available solutions presents its own significant challenge.

The complexities of AI deployment are further magnified when considering rural healthcare facilities, which typically operate with fewer resources. Presbyterian addresses this through a hub-and-spoke model, piloting new AI solutions at its central Albuquerque facility before rolling them out to regional sites. This strategy aims to iron out kinks and bugs, saving rural locations considerable time and headaches. However, Shafer notes a key limitation: regional clinical environments often possess unique characteristics that differ from central locations, meaning a solution effective in one setting may not translate seamlessly to another.

Patient feedback on AI-enabled solutions has been overwhelmingly positive. Tools like RhythmX AI and ambient listening technologies, deployed in both central and some regional areas, have transformed the patient-clinician dynamic. Patients appreciate that their physicians or advanced practice clinicians can now focus entirely on them, maintaining eye contact rather than being tethered to a computer screen for prolonged periods.

Beyond patient experience, technology plays a crucial role in talent attraction and retention. Shafer observes a growing expectation among new medical residents for advanced technologies like robotic surgery applications for surgeons, or ambient listening tools and AI scribes for emergency department and clinic staff. These technologies, often integrated into residency training, are becoming standard bearers for what clinicians expect in their first jobs. Recognizing this, Presbyterian strives to create a practice environment that embraces technological innovation while acknowledging that no single IT system or advanced technology works for everyone. This flexible approach, allowing for different IT constructs, is particularly vital for recruiting in challenging rural areas, where fostering a supportive culture is paramount.

Gaining buy-in from diverse stakeholders, including early and late technology adopters, requires navigating a delicate “change management curve.” Shafer emphasizes the importance of empowering clinicians to innovate in their care delivery, ensuring they feel culturally aligned with the organization rather than compelled to practice elsewhere.

Presbyterian’s comprehensive AI strategy involves a dedicated committee tasked with evaluating the deluge of incoming AI company proposals and proactively seeking out strategic partners. This evaluation extends beyond financial costs to encompass the significant burden of change management on clinical teams—including physicians, advanced practice clinicians, nurses, technicians, and medical assistants. A frequently underestimated factor is the involvement required from internal IT teams, whose limited capacity can be strained by unexpected build requirements. Ultimately, Presbyterian’s decision-making process is holistic, weighing return on investment (ROI), key performance indicators (KPIs), financial costs, internal IT build needs, the impact of change management, and, most critically, the tangible value created for patients.