How Empathia gave Thamesview FHT physicians their joy back and reduced charting time by 2 hours daily
Thamesview FHT
Chatham, ON, Canada
Doctor
Shannon Milkovic
Specialty
Family Medicine
It has been a game changer for myself and colleagues. I leave the office on time, it allows me to see more patients and has brought back joy to working in family medicine.
The challenge
Before Empathia
Before integrating Empathia into their workflow, Shannon and her colleagues faced a significant challenge: the overwhelming burden of documentation. Physicians were spending an average of 2-3 hours every evening charting after seeing patients. This not only extended their workdays but also led to potential information loss if charting wasn't done immediately after a visit.
"I was spending 2-3 hours charting in the evening/ after seeing patients. If I didn't do my charting right away I forgot potentional important information from the visit, whereas now it is in the Ai note encounter. I typed everything the patient said, even if ultimately was irrelevant, because I knew if I didn't type the whole time I would have more work to do on the back end."This extensive typing also had a physical toll, with Shannon personally experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome due to the constant, furious typing during patient visits. The focus on documentation also detracted from the patient experience, as physicians were often looking at their computers instead of engaging directly with their patients.
Shannon Milkovic is a dedicated family physician practicing in Ontario, Canada, at Thamesview FHT. Thamesview FHT is a Family Health Team, a model of healthcare in Ontario that brings together various health care providers to deliver comprehensive primary health care. Currently, 10 physicians at Thamesview FHT utilize Empathia as their AI scribe, a testament to its impact on their daily practice.
The Transformation
After Empathia
Key Improvements
Thamesview FHT found its solution for all physicians together in Empathia, an AI scribe designed to streamline documentation. The implementation of Empathia has revolutionized their clinic workflow. For both in-person and telemedicine appointments, Shannon uses the Empathia phone app to record interactions. While her nurse prepares the patient, Shannon verbally preambles into Empathia to frame the appointment. After the patient visit, she provides a quick verbal summary of exam findings, assessment, and plan. This allows the note to be formulated in the background while she moves on to the next patient.
"Patients are a combination of follow-up vs. initial presentation for a condition. 2/3 in person, 1/3 telemedicine. While my nurse is bringing the patient back and completing vitals, I am doing a preamble about them verbally into Empathia to frame the appt, we then complete the patient visit, I then do a quick verbal summary of exam findings, assessment and plan, complete the encounter and go do the same for the next patient while the note is being formulated."
Later, at the end of the day or when time permits, Shannon reviews and edits the notes before copying them into the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). The accuracy of the telemedicine app, in particular, has been a standout feature, requiring minimal edits.
The impact of Empathia on Thamesview FHT has been profound and multifaceted. The most significant result is the dramatic reduction in documentation time. Shannon has personally cut down her daily paperwork by two hours, freeing up valuable time that was previously spent charting late into the evening.
"I have reduced 2 hours a day of paperwork time."
This newfound efficiency has allowed physicians to leave the office on time and see more patients. Beyond the practical benefits, Empathia has brought back the joy of practicing family medicine. Two physicians who were contemplating early retirement have even decided to continue working, attributing their decision to Empathia.
Patients have also noticed a positive change. With physicians no longer glued to their screens, the human element has returned to patient visits, fostering stronger connections and improving the overall patient experience. Furthermore, Shannon's carpal tunnel syndrome has resolved, a direct benefit of no longer needing to type furiously during appointments.
Empathia has proven to be accurate, well-organized, and a true "game changer" for family medicine, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on what truly matters: their patients.
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Key Features Used
Telemed
All-in-one built-in Telemed on mobile and web—call patients directly or start a secure video visit with automatic, seamless documentation.
EMR Integration
Empathia is currently used alongside EMRs such as Epic, Cerner, MEDITECH, Accuro, Oscar, Telus PS Suite, Omni Healthcare, and other web based EMRs, allowing teams to adopt AI documentation support without changing their core clinical systems.
