In 2023, nearly half of all US physicians reported experiencing burnout, according to the American Medical Association. While physicians deal with stress in all aspects of their jobs, it’s often the constant note-taking and updating of electronic health records (EHRs) that push them toward burnout and exhaustion.
At AdventHealth, a not-for-profit healthcare system with 100,000 caregivers across nine states, signs of clinician burnout were too big to ignore. So in early 2024, the organization rolled out DAX Copilot, an AI-powered ambient voice system from Nuance Communications that records patient visits and auto-generates medical notes.
For Dr. Elie Razzouk, AdventHealth’s vice president and chief medical information officer (CMIO) for the central Florida division, the move to ambient voice was about more than technology.
“This was not a tech-first decision—it was a people-first one,” he says. “If we want our providers to fully engage with patients, they need the chance to better untether from their keyboards.”
Diagnosing clinician burnout at its root
The decision to implement ambient voice technology stemmed from an undeniable pain point: clinicians were spending too much time documenting, during and after work, and not enough time with patients.
AdventHealth’s goal, said Dr. Razzouk, was to give time back. But deploying a voice tech solution at scale required careful planning and company-wide coordination. A task force made up of clinical operations, IT, and physician leadership led the charge to ensure the solution was designed with clinicians, not just for them.
Three priorities guided technology and vendor selection, according to Dr. Razzouk:
- Clinical note quality – Physicians and providers demanded that auto-generated notes must be high-quality and extremely accurate.
- Seamless integration – IT teams required a tool that fit smoothly within existing Epic workflows.
- Scalability – The system had to work across AdventHealth’s sprawling network without compromising performance.
DAX Copilot checked all those boxes. “Its ability to convert real-time conversations into structured notes while meeting our privacy, security, and governance standards made it stand out,” says Dr. Razzouk.
AdventHealth’s AI Advisory Board—a multidisciplinary group of medical, legal, and technical experts—reviewed the technology’s safety, equity, and clinical impact before going live with DAX Copilot.
“We approached the rollout in phases, beginning with the clinical areas that required the most documentation,” says Dr. Razzouk. “We listened closely to feedback from initial users, offered training and support, and grew a physician champion network to encourage adoption.”
How ambient voice technology works during patient visits
Ambient voice technology is designed to operate in the background, capturing conversations during clinical visits, transcribing them, and compiling detailed notes.
In practice, this means physicians open the app as they enter the exam room, either through a dedicated device or smartphone. The system passively listens to the conversation using advanced AI algorithms to analyze the audio, transcribe the conversation, and identify relevant information like diagnoses, medications, and treatment options. After the visit, the system auto-generates notes and automatically populates them into AdventHealth’s EHR system, Epic, for review and approval.
“With DAX Copilot, the experience shifts dramatically,” says Dr. Razzouk. “Instead of toggling between screens and typing while talking, the clinician can stay fully present with the patient.”
One AdventHealth physician summed up the benefits nicely: “I enjoy chatting with patients, maintaining eye contact, and trusting that DAX will get all the details.”
Voice tech in practice: Measurable results, meaningful change
Since going live in April 2024, the results have been striking, says Dr. Razzouk.
With nearly 2,000 physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) using Dax Copilot, AdventHealth has observed various improvements, including:
- 86% of users report reduced burnout.
- 83% report better work-life balance and higher job satisfaction.
- 80% say the patient experience has improved.
- Providers spend significantly less time copying previous notes or entering data manually.
Even more telling, three out of four AdventHealth clinicians say the technology has made them less likely to leave clinical practice.
“We’re seeing a real impact on retention and morale,” said Dr. Razzouk. “As an organization committed to whole-person care, that’s a win not just for providers’ well-being, but also for the patient relationships at the center of every visit.”
For its work implementing ambient voice technology, AdventHealth earned a 2025 CIO 100 Award for driving digital business growth through technology innovation and leadership.
A human-centered vision for AI in healthcare
AdventHealth views AI-powered ambient voice technology as more than a documentation tool—it’s a glimpse into a smarter, more human-focused future for healthcare.
“At a time when tech can be seen as diluting human connection, this is an example of how digital tools, when implemented well, can actually facilitate connection,” says Dr. Razzouk.
Looking ahead, AdventHealth plans to continue expanding ambient voice use across more departments while exploring other AI-powered tools that improve care quality and physician well-being. But, according to Dr. Razzouk, innovation will always be guided by one central principle: listening to the needs of those on the healthcare front lines.
“Physician well-being is not a side initiative,” he says. “It’s a core driver of clinical excellence, safety, and sustainability. By matching up technology with our providers’ workflows, we’re building an ecosystem that supports healing—body, mind, and spirit.”
For clinicians using DAX Copilot, that healing starts with something simple: a conversation. One where they don’t have to juggle note-taking and eye contact, or patient care and personal well-being. Thanks to ambient voice technology, they have the best of both worlds.
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Source: News