AI Helps Cherokee Nation Health Services Reduce Burnout

By Cherokee 411 Staff

Darylin Doublehead, a former clinician with Cherokee Nation Health Services, knows firsthand the toll burnout can take on healthcare providers.

"Almost half of providers report at least one symptom of burnout, and I think that’s something all providers, myself included, go through at some point," she said. "I want to do what I can to help improve that."

In 2024, Doublehead transitioned to the health IT team, where she piloted the Oracle Clinical AI Agent, a revolutionary tool designed to ease the documentation workload for healthcare providers. The AI system uses ambient listening technology to convert patient-provider conversations into comprehensive clinical documentation. It captures essential details such as patient symptoms, clinical observations, treatment plans, and relevant medical histories discussed during the visit.

Since its deployment, the system has processed 4,864 clinical audio recordings, significantly reducing the time clinicians spend on administrative tasks.

"The goal was to have something easy to set up and use. The initial training took just 30 minutes, and all the clinician needs to do is click a button to start recording at the beginning of a session," Doublehead explained. "At the end of the session, they send the notes for generation and review the results. It’s important for the clinician to make sure the notes are accurate and have all the necessary information."

The system is now used by 92 clinicians across the Cherokee Nation Health Services. On average, the AI saves about two minutes per session. Over the course of a day with 20 patients, that could translate into an additional 40 minutes of time that the clinician can reclaim.

“This could mean the difference between being able to eat dinner with your family and missing it,” Doublehead said, emphasizing how much small time savings can impact daily life.

As Cherokee Nation Health Services continues to expand its use of AI technologies, the Oracle Clinical AI Agent stands as a promising solution in the battle against clinician burnout, providing a much-needed balance between technology and human care.