Author: Dr. Michelle Greiver
After more than 40 years in family practice, I have seen health care evolve, from paper charts and in-person visits to electronic medical records and virtual care, to the current use of artificial intelligence (AI). Throughout these changes, my goal has remained the same: to improve patient care, reduce administrative burden, and maintain a sustainable work-life balance.
To do this, I redesigned my workflow, identifying pre- and post-visit tasks, and implementing automated questionnaires, AI tools, and follow-up email confirmations.
Pre-visit prep: saving time and elevating patient care
Using an AI scribe helped me manage the documentation aspect. Each scheduled appointment now generates an automated reminder to patients, a pre-visit questionnaire with additional questions tailored to the reason for their visit (for example, diabetes management, preventive care, chronic disease follow-up, or a general check-up), and a consent form for my use of an AI scribe during their appointment. This ensures that my staff and I have all the information we need for more focused and efficient visits before patients arrive.
Many of our visits are conducted collaboratively. Our medical office assistants collect vital signs and enter data into the electronic medical record (EMR) while our nurse reviews pre-visit questionnaires and identifies preventive care needs. We then look over the submitted questionnaires and vitals before I see the patient. This team-based approach enables us to focus more on patient engagement and clinical decision-making rather than routine data collection.
After confirming patient consent, I activate the AI scribe to document patient visits in real time. This reduces the need to type notes, allowing me to fully focus on patients. At the end of each visit, I review the AI-generated SOAP note and a patient-friendly summary for accuracy, making revisions or corrections as needed. The summary is sent to patients via secure email and automatically added to their records. I also use AI decision-support tools, when clinically appropriate, to help me with differential diagnosis and management.
The verdict?
The impact of these digital health tools has been significant. Patients appreciate having an opportunity to share concerns before their visits and receiving post-visit written follow-ups. For me, these tools have reduced clerical work and created more time for listening and connecting with patients.
My takeaway? Technology that is thoughtfully implemented can enhance patient engagement, support clinical decision-making, and improve practice efficiency without increasing workload. Most importantly, it can help preserve the human connections that are central to family medicine.
Dr. Michelle Greiver is a family physician with North York Family Health Team in Toronto and professor in the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto.
