After practicing podiatric medicine for more than
30 years and utilizing virtually every charting
modality—from dictation and Dragon to human
scribes—I was recently asked by my longtime
colleague and close friend, Dr. Michael King, to
evaluate AizaMD, an ambient AI documentation
platform developed by SARC MedIQ. During that
time, I've witnessed tremendous advances in our
profession, but very few technologies have changed
my day-to-day practice as quickly or as profoundly
as ambient AI documentation.
Like many of my colleagues, I approached this
technology with a healthy dose of skepticism. I
questioned whether artificial intelligence could
accurately capture the nuances of a patient
encounter without creating more work than it
saved. Before implementing it, I had several
conversations with the company's physicians,
Stanford-trained PhDs, and development team. They
welcomed physician feedback and worked closely
with me to further tailor the platform to the
unique needs of podiatric medicine and surgery.
After using AizaMD in my practice, I must admit, I
have been genuinely impressed. The quality of my
notes has improved significantly, and the hours I
previously spent in the office each evening
completing documentation have been dramatically
reduced. For the first time in many years, I feel
like I've reclaimed a substantial amount of my
personal time without sacrificing the quality of
my medical records.
What has impressed me just as much has been the
responsiveness of the development team. Many of my
colleagues may not yet be aware that certain
insurers have begun enforcing documentation
requirements that, in some circumstances, call for
a formal radiographic interpretation rather than
simply documenting x-ray findings within the
office note. After discussing this issue with the
developers, they created a comprehensive radiology
reporting template that integrates seamlessly into
the workflow, making compliance both thorough and
efficient.
I am not employed by SARC MedIQ and have received
no compensation from the company. I simply wanted
to share my experience because, in more than three
decades of practice, this has been one of the most
impressive advances I have seen in medical
documentation.
Artificial intelligence will never replace
physician judgment, but when used appropriately it
can become an outstanding assistant. Whether you
choose AizaMD or another ambient AI platform, I
encourage my colleagues to explore this rapidly
evolving technology. I believe many will be
pleasantly surprised by its ability to improve
documentation, increase efficiency, and restore
valuable personal time.
Finally, I wish for the future that, if SARC MedIQ
becomes part of our wonderful specialty of
podiatric medicine and surgery, they will consider
supporting the APMA Educational Foundation through
student scholarships and other educational
initiatives that help educate and inspire the next
generation of podiatric physicians.
Jeff DeSantis, DPM, Orange, CA
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