Comparing EHR documentation helpers like speech, medical, virtual, and digital scribes
Evaluation of Impact of EHR Documentation Assistant Modalities on Provider and System Level Outcomes
Seeing how different electronic health record helpers—speech recognition, in-person scribes, virtual scribes, and digital/AI scribes—change clinicians' charting time and record quality for ambulatory care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193772 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at the tools your clinician uses to write visit notes and how those tools affect their work and the health record. Researchers will compare speech recognition, in-person medical scribes, virtual scribes, and digital/AI scribes across outpatient and telemedicine visits. They will use clinic EHR data (timing and completion metrics), safety and documentation quality measures, and qualitative feedback from providers to understand real-world effects. The goal is to identify which approaches reduce after-hours charting, improve record accuracy, and fit best into routine care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients seen in outpatient (ambulatory) clinics or telemedicine visits at OHSU or affiliated clinics where clinicians use speech recognition, medical scribes, virtual scribes, or digital/AI documentation tools would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients receiving care in settings that do not use these documentation helpers (for example, some inpatient units or clinics without EHR assistants) are unlikely to be affected by this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could speed up documentation, improve record accuracy and safety, and free up clinician time to spend more with patients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has shown mixed results—speech recognition and scribes sometimes reduce burden but have variable effects on chart completion and can even worsen some providers' after-hours work—so this comparison of newer virtual and digital options is timely.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mohan, Vishnu — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Mohan, Vishnu
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.