By Chandi Chandrasena, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can help drive health system innovation and improve patient care. For many physicians, AI adoption is not about innovation for its own sake, but about reclaiming time, reducing cognitive load, and restoring sustainability and joy in clinical practice.
So, why aren’t more community-based clinicians using them? While the decision to use AI technology is a matter of personal choice, there are key barriers to adoption:
- Lack of trust. Some clinicians are concerned about the lack of legal framework for AI in medicine; others worry about how patient data is accessed or housed. Some fear that AI infringes on the human element of medicine while others are simply technologically averse. This much is clear – not everyone is sold on AI tools.
- Issues with workflow integration and usability. Many technological tools are designed strictly by developers, with no physician/clinician input (think back to EMR integration in the early 2000s), resulting in skepticism about their ability to make things better.
- Insufficient training and support. For some clinicians, a lack of training and support has contributed to anxiety and reservation around AI adoption.
These barriers are particularly pronounced in community settings, where physicians often lack dedicated change management support, IT resources, or dedicated time to learn and adapt to new technologies.
Next steps
Where do we go from here? The path forward must be grounded in physician/clinician trust, practical workflow realities, and real-world implementation in community-based practices.
OntarioMD (OMD) has led the charge in this respect. In 2024, OMD was chosen by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) to lead the first evaluation study in the province to determine the impact of AI scribe on reducing physicians’ administrative burden, working with partners, Amplify Care and Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions Virtual Care (WIHV). The study yielded promising results, prompting the launch of the Ontario AI Scribe Program to promote responsible and effective adoption of AI technologies by clinicians.
Developed in partnership with the MOH, Ontario Health, Supply Ontario, and OMD, the Ontario AI Scribe Program includes clinical input to ensure relevance and practicality in community-based settings. The program offers vetted vendors, privacy-compliant contracts, discounted pricing, and complimentary support from OMD in adopting and adapting to an AI scribe, saving clinicians who sign up for the program money, time, and minimizing their risk.
The OMD Practice Hub serves as an additional resource for clinicians interested in learning about, adopting, and using AI technologies in their practices. The site has practical information, including tips on optimizing AI scribe workflows, AI-related articles, a Patient Consent Toolkit, Transition Support Guide, and Frequently Asked Questions on legal and privacy considerations on AI use and the Ontario AI Scribe Program. OMD also holds free webinars to inform clinicians on the purpose and value of AI tools as an administrative support system, not as their replacement for patient-facing interactions.
By increasing AI literacy, focusing on its role as an administrative support, advocating for clear regulatory guardrails on its use, and ensuring physicians have a meaningful seat at the development and evaluation table, OMD is helping bridge the gap between AI innovation and real-world adoption in primary and community-care. Contact OMD at support@ontariomd.com to explore what AI can do for your practice.
