Turns out, physicians spend nearly 16 hours, on average, completing these tasks each and every week. For family physicians, the number is even higher.

Is it any wonder, then, that for the past two years the overall percentage of physicians who report being burned out has hovered at 42%? Among family physicians in 2021, that figure is 47%.

Granted, burnout can’t be traced solely to administrative burden, but it’s certainly a major contributor. Which is why the AAFP Innovation Lab has for years focused on investigating how the latest proven, advanced technological platforms and tools — cloud, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and voice and mobile technologies — can be harnessed to reduce administrative burden and family physician burnout.

This week marks a major milestone in those efforts, with the AAFP releasing results from phase 2 of its Innovation Lab on the adoption, use and impact of an AI Assistant for Documentation by family physicians and other primary care physicians.