PRESCOTT, AZ — The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding pilot programs that use artificial intelligence to help clinicians document patient visits, a move officials say could improve accuracy in medical records, enhance veteran care, and reduce doctor burnout.
The technology, often referred to as an “ambient scribe,” uses AI to listen to clinical conversations and generate medical notes, summaries, and coding suggestions. The VA is currently testing multiple platforms, including systems developed by Knowtex and Abridge, at several sites nationwide.
One such tool, called “Knowtex,” goes beyond simple transcription, according to Knowtex CEO and co-founder Caroline Zhang.
“Knowtex is not purely voice to text,” Zhang said. “It's an intelligent summary of the visit interaction that generates medical notes, generates coding, generates order capabilities. So, it's really taking the value of the patient's story and translating that into documentation and next steps.”
The VA confirmed that at least 10 sites are participating in the pilot, including Prescott, Arizona. Officials say the expansion allows the department to compare vendors, workflows, and clinician satisfaction before selecting a long-term enterprise solution.
Donna Hill, director of operations for AI and emerging technologies within the VA’s digital health office, said the technology helps ensure encounters are fully and accurately captured.
“Often, providers are having to do the summaries after their visits,” Hill said. “With a full transcript and a summarized capture, everything that should be in that record is in that record.”
At the Prescott VA clinic, the department is piloting Abridge’s AI-powered transcription system, which produces both raw transcripts and machine-generated summaries. Clinicians are required to review and approve all notes before they become part of a veteran’s permanent medical record.
Reba Shank, vice president of partner experience at Abridge, said trust and privacy are central to deploying AI in healthcare.
“Everything in healthcare moves at the speed of trust,” Shank said. “The whole goal is to support the workflow, to allow clinicians to pay attention and connect deeply with their patients when they're face-to-face with them. After we've supported that, the data goes away.”
VA officials said audio recordings are typically retained for no more than 30 days to allow follow-up requests, after which they are permanently deleted. Veterans also retain the right to request corrections to their medical records under existing VA procedures.
Cybersecurity and data protection remain key considerations. Hill said all vendors must meet the same security standards as any other contractor working with the VA.
“Every vendor would have to go through that process,” she said.
The current pilot does not include AI-driven clinical decision-making. Hill emphasized that providers remain responsible for treatment decisions.
“Our providers will always be the point of care for our veterans,” she said.
VA officials say early feedback from both veterans and clinicians has been largely positive, including from patients initially skeptical of the technology. Analysis of cost savings and workload reduction is still underway, but Hill said early indicators show promise.
“We know it reduces the burnout for our providers,” she said. “We’re seeing benefits for our veterans, and our veterans are what we care about most.”
The pilot programs are scheduled to conclude later this month, with the possibility of broader adoption as additional VA clinics opt in nationwide.
The Phoenix VA Medical Center will begin rolling out the technology within its clinic in the coming months.
