Ramsay Health Care is taking a step towards enhancing clinical documentation efficiency across its network of private healthcare facilities in Australia by introducing AI technology. The new AI-powered tool, Ramsay Scribe, is set to be piloted at the emergency department of St Andrew’s Ipswich Private Hospital in Queensland, with plans to expand its use in inpatient and mental health outpatient settings.
The development of Ramsay Scribe is a part of Ramsay’s 10-year digital transformation strategy, focusing on the adoption and implementation of AI tools to streamline workflows and reduce administrative burden. In 2023, Ramsay partnered with Google Cloud as its data and innovation partner to build a centralised data hub on BigQuery.
Dr. Rachna Gandhi, Ramsay’s Chief Transformation, Digital, and Data Officer, discussed the significance of Ramsay Scribe and its reception among staff. She emphasized how the technology adds value to their service and shared insights into similar digital projects in the pipeline.
When asked about the motivation behind developing Ramsay Scribe, Dr. Gandhi highlighted the need to improve clinical documentation efficiency and reduce the administrative burden on clinicians. By leveraging AI technology, Ramsay aims to enhance workflow productivity, reduce burnout, and allow clinicians to focus more on patient care rather than paperwork.
Collaborating with T-Pro, a provider of AI-driven clinical documentation solutions, Ramsay ensured that Ramsay Scribe was optimized for the clinical environment. Frontline healthcare teams were actively involved in the process to ensure that the tool meets their needs and seamlessly integrates into existing workflows.
The timeline of the project saw the development of Ramsay Scribe starting in mid-2024, moving into prototyping and testing by mid-late 2024, with a pilot implementation beginning in January of the following year. The phased approach allowed for real-world clinician feedback to refine the tool and ensure a smooth implementation.
Ramsay Scribe enables faster and more accurate clinical documentation, reducing manual notetaking time for clinicians. This improvement in efficiency supports compliance with documentation standards and enhances the patient experience by allowing clinicians to focus more on direct care. Additionally, it provides structured and complete patient records, contributing to better decision-making and continuity of care.
Feedback from clinicians has been positive, noting significant reductions in documentation time and improved workflow efficiency. Staff appreciate the tool’s ease of use and seamless integration into their daily routines. Patients benefit from more engaged clinicians who can focus on delivering high-quality care without extensive manual documentation.
Ramsay plans to continue refining Ramsay Scribe based on user feedback, expanding its use across additional specialties and clinical settings. They are also exploring potential AI enhancements, such as real-time summarisation and predictive text capabilities, to further improve efficiency.
Ramsay Scribe is a crucial component of Ramsay’s digital transformation strategy, aimed at improving patient and care team outcomes through the use of contemporary digital tools and data. This innovation, along with other digital initiatives like the patient tracking tool, demonstrates Ramsay’s commitment to leveraging technology to deliver high-quality, patient-centric care in a connected and intelligent digital healthcare ecosystem.
