AI in Clinical Practice: What Advanced Practice Providers Need to Know

AI in Clinical Practice: What Advanced Practice Providers Need to Know

Lisa Mathis FNP-BC

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in healthcare—it’s already embedded in the day-to-day workflow of many clinical settings. From automated documentation tools to clinical decision support systems, AI is rapidly transforming how care is delivered. For nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how to leverage these tools to improve efficiency and patient outcomes while maintaining clinical judgment and ethical responsibility. Hospitals are already encouraging hospitalists to use AI when charting and soon it will no longer be a request but a requirement. Private practices may be slower to start but the change is inevitable.

The younger, newer providers are excited and very quick to learn. However, the older, more “set in stone” providers are more resistant, as change and technology can be difficult. Embracing AI is not only difficult for some providers but also patients. Some patients are not on board with their healthcare provider carrying their phone or laptop in the room and recording the visit. This can be difficult when the AI generated note depends on the visit to be recorded to create the document. The patient must always give consent to be recorded. As providers we can have a conversation to educate the patients, but this can be a barrier for some providers. Over time this should resolve as the patient population becomes accustomed to the use of AI. The patients should always be reassured that their provider is making the medical decisions not the AI.

As frontline providers managing increasing patient loads and administrative demands, APPs are uniquely positioned to benefit from AI—but also to critically evaluate its role in patient care.

Healthcare systems around the world face significant challenges in achieving the ‘quadruple aim’ for healthcare: improve population health, improve the patient's experience of care, enhance caregiver experience and reduce the rising cost of care. Ageing populations, growing burden of chronic diseases and rising costs of healthcare globally are challenging governments, payers, regulators and providers to innovate and transform models of healthcare delivery. (1)

• AI is showing up in several key areas that directly impact the providers workflow:
• Clinical documentation: AI-powered scribes can reduce charting time and burnout
• Decision support: Tools that flag risks (e.g., sepsis, readmissions)
• Patient engagement: Chatbots and triage tools improving access to care
• Population health: Identifying high-risk patients for early intervention

These tools are not replacing providers—they are augmenting decision-making and streamlining repetitive tasks. As stated above this can be stressed to the more hesitant patients.

One of the most immediate benefits of AI for providers is time savings. Documentation burden remains one of the leading contributors to burnout, and AI-assisted charting can significantly reduce after-hours work. For many APP, this means more time focused on patient care rather than administrative tasks.

Despite its promise, AI adoption comes with important concerns:

• Over-reliance on technology: Clinical judgment must remain central
• Bias in algorithms: AI tools may reflect gaps in training data
• Privacy and data security: Increased use of patient data raises risks
• Liability questions: Who is responsible when AI recommendations are wrong?

Providers must remain informed and cautious, using AI as a tool—not a replacement—for clinical expertise.

So, how can APPs stay ahead of this shift?

• Keep up with the AI tools being introduced in your practice
• Get involved in conversations around implementation and policy
• Speak up for proper training and transparency
• Take a thoughtful approach—don’t rely on AI recommendations without evaluating them first

AI is not replacing nurse practitioners and physician assistants —it is reshaping how they practice. Those who understand and thoughtfully integrate these tools will be better positioned to deliver efficient, high-quality care in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.

The key is not whether AI will be part of APP practice—but how APPs will lead its responsible use.

So, whether you are young and proficient with technology, or the older more refined provider, this era of change may be overwhelming for both provider and patient. However, with education and time it will be a tool to change and will revolutionize the course of medicine.

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
— George Bernard Shaw

References:

1-Artificial intelligence in healthcare: transforming the practice of medicinehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8285156/