From Friction to Flow: Transforming Clinical Environments with Automated Innovations

Clinician burnout continues to escalate, fueled largely by administrative burdens and cumbersome workflows. In a recent episode of the Clinicians in Leadership podcast, Dr. Stephanie Lahr, MD, CHCIO, FACHDM , Chief Experience Officer at Artisight , shared insightful perspectives on how medical technology, particularly automation and artificial intelligence, is transforming healthcare workflow and clinician experience.

Dr. Lahr's expertise, rooted deeply in both clinical informatics and physician leadership, offers unique insights into how healthcare systems can leverage innovation to significantly reduce friction and restore joy in medical practice.

"There's a very famous picture from the JAMA of a little girl in an exam room who had drawn a picture, and her doctor was facing the computer with his back to her... [This] changing dynamic between patients and their clinicians [is] because of bringing technology in without proper integration."

• Clinicians should participate directly in technology development or implementation phases.
• Healthcare systems need to prioritize integration that aligns closely with actual clinical workflows.
• Use of advanced AI-driven solutions like computer vision and ambient technologies can automate routine tasks, allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care.

"We had to think about [technology] very radically differently... without adding friction, but in essence, removing friction through an ambient environment and experience."

• Using sensors and computer vision to automatically capture essential data.
• Seamlessly integrating this technology into existing healthcare workflows.
• Adopting a platform-based strategy to solve multiple clinical problems simultaneously.

"We're built by clinicians and inherently knowledgeable about the complexities and challenges of care delivery,"

This clinician-driven perspective ensures the technology Artisight develops truly addresses practical clinical needs.

• Developing dedicated informatics teams to serve as translators between clinicians and technologists.
• Encouraging mutual education—clinicians gaining insight into technology capabilities, technologists understanding clinical workflows.
• Prioritizing strategic alignment by having technology and clinical leaders jointly involved in executive decision-making.

This integrative approach enhances mutual understanding, accelerates adoption, and ensures technology meaningfully supports patient care.

1. Start With Problems, Not Solutions: Identify specific, pressing challenges within your organization first.
2. Engage End Users Early: Involve clinicians directly in identifying and articulating clinical needs.
3. Take Calculated Risks: Embrace innovation cautiously, with appropriate guardrails, allowing room for learning and incremental improvement.

Dr. Lahr advises, "Leaders have to champion this and make this a priority... express the value that technology can bring in ways that resonate beyond traditional ROI metrics."

• Foster a transparent, empathetic environment acknowledging current challenges.
• Clearly articulate a vision for change and engage clinicians in that vision.
• Prioritize innovative solutions that meaningfully reduce administrative burdens and improve clinical workflow.

Clinicians thrive when leadership actively champions initiatives designed to reduce friction and enhance workplace satisfaction. As Dr. Lahr points out, healthcare leaders today hold a crucial responsibility—not merely an opportunity—to restore joy and fulfillment in medicine.