AI tool cuts doctors’ paperwork so they can see more patients

A new artificial intelligence tool being tested in Denmark’s healthcare system automatically transcribes medical consultations, freeing doctors from time-consuming documentation and allowing them to focus on patient care, DR reports.

During emergency calls to nursing homes, doctors at Odense University Hospital typically have just two to three minutes to assess a patient’s condition—checking vital signs, speaking with staff, and documenting everything for medical records. Now, an AI-powered tool records the entire conversation, distinguishes between speakers, and generates a draft note for the patient’s file.

“I usually spend about 10 minutes writing a report after each visit. With this, I barely have to do that at all,” said Søren Kabell Nissen, an emergency physician at FAM Odense. The tool allows him to observe patients and their reactions more closely, rather than being distracted by note-taking.

The system is part of a broader push to integrate AI into Denmark’s public sector, with three large-scale projects aimed at reducing administrative burdens. “We have more sick patients to care for, so we need doctors and nurses spending time on what matters most—looking at the patient,” said Mads Duedahl, chairman of Danske Regioner. “AI can handle the notes.”

In psychiatry, where Odense’s Local Psychiatry unit conducts 50–60 patient consultations daily, the tool has already shown significant time savings. Zoltan Barkanyi, a consulting psychiatrist, estimates it cuts 30 minutes of paperwork per longer session—saving him three to four hours a week. While he cautions it won’t single-handedly eliminate wait times, he hopes it will help meet diagnostic deadlines more efficiently.

Henning Langberg, a professor of public health at the University of Copenhagen, calls the potential “huge”, as documentation consumes a major share of healthcare workers’ time. “This means more time for patients—and room for more patients.”