Could ambient artificial intelligence scribes offer a promising digital health solution to reduce physician burnout and documentation burden in Poland? A narrative review

Abstrakt

Introduction and objective. Physician burnout and documentation burden reduce patient-facing time and professional well-being. Ambient artificial intelligence (AI) scribes automatically convert clinician–patient conversations into structured clinical documentation and may improve workflow efficiency and reduce clinician documentation burden. This review summarises current evidence regarding their effectiveness, safety and potential application in Poland. Review methods. A narrative review of publications (2019-2026) was conducted using the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science databases. Polish-language literature, policy documents and regulatory acts were also reviewed. Evidence regarding documentation efficiency, physician well-being, patient acceptance, implementation in Poland and legal considerations was synthesised.

Brief description of the latest state of knowledge. International studies, including randomised controlled trials, demonstrate that ambient AI scribes reduce documentation time, administrative burden, and physician burnout, though patient acceptance depends on digital literacy and trust in data privacy. Although peer-reviewed Polish implementation studies are lacking, domestic research initiatives, emerging hospital pilots and national digital health strategies indicate growing readiness for adoption. Imple­mentation requires compliance with the GDPR, the EU AI Act and appropriate clinical governance.

Summary. Ambient AI scribes represent a promising digital health solution designed to reduce documentation burden and supporting physicians in Poland. Prospective Polish pilot studies are needed to evaluate effectiveness, safety, and regulatory compliance before routine clinical implementation.