npj Digital Medicine· 2025Q1
Utilization of Generative AI-drafted Responses for Managing Patient-Provider Communication
- 31citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2025year
Short summary
Generative AI drafts for patient messages were used by only 19.4% of 75 healthcare professionals, despite generating drafts for all messages, increasing review burden. However, AI drafts reduced message turnaround time by 6.76% and usage increased to 20% with prompt refinements.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Only 19.4% of 75 healthcare professionals used generative AI drafts for patient messages.
- AI drafts were generated for all messages, including 80% that received no response, increasing review burden.
- Message turnaround time decreased by 6.76% with AI-generated drafts.
- Prompt refinements improved GenAI usage to 20%, especially for physicians.
- Clinicians preferred concise, information-rich drafts, with physicians favoring shorter messages and support staff preferring empathetic ones.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
The integration of generative AI (GenAI) in patient communication presents benefits and challenges. This retrospective observational study analyzed EHR audit logs to assess how 75 healthcare professionals (HCPs) utilized AI-generated drafts for patient messages from October 2023 to August 2024 at a large health system in New York City. Overall utilization was low (19.4%), though prompt refinements improved usage (from 12% to 20%), particularly among physicians. GenAI drafts were generated for all messages, including 80% that received no response, adding to the review burden and potentially undermining efficiency. Text analysis showed HCPs preferred concise, information-rich drafts, with role-based differences-physicians favored shorter drafts, while clinical support staff preferred more empathetic responses. AI-generated drafts reduced message turnaround time by 6.76% despite a marginal increase in required steps (InBasket actions). These findings highlight the need for targeted GenAI deployment strategies, better aligned with clinician workflows and optimized draft generation for improved efficiency.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. npj Digital Medicine, 2025 · DOI ↗
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Field: Health Information Management
Health Information ManagementHealth Professions