NCT07438743

An Evaluation of Epic EHR AI Outpatient Chart Summarization

Epic Generative Artificial Intelligence Chart Summarization Tool to Reduce Ambulatory Provider Cognitive Task Load: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 284 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This is a RCT of 284 outpatient physicians at a large academic health system, randomized 1:1 to an electronic health record (EHR) produced generative AI outpatient chart summarization tool or a usual-care control group. The 90 day study will observe the effects of the tool prior to system-wide roll out of the tool.

Detailed description

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of an EHR developed generative AI outpatient chart summarization tool on self-reported physician-task load score (PTL), comparing the tool to a control group. Exploratory outcomes include EHR-derived time metrics (Caboodle and Signal), Professional fulfillment Index (PFI), usability (SUS), provider satisfaction and productivity, and patient experience item results from CG-CAHPS. We will also evaluate whether AI literacy modifies adoption and effect of the tool using the short-form Meta AI Literacy Scale (MAILS). On an exploratory basis, we will also perform adjustments based on provider specialty, access to an ambient-listening AI scribe, panel complexity, provider age group, provider sex, and time-varying effects by month over the study period. Enrolled participants are randomized to one of two groups. Randomization will be stratified by whether the participant has an active AI scribe license, and covariate-constrained randomization will be performed within strata to improve balance on baseline PTL (NASA-TLX-adapted score) and a modified baseline chart review time (Caboodle-derived). Due to the nature of the intervention, participants cannot be blinded to group assignment. The primary purpose of the initiative is to improve quality, efficiency, and business operations at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health and will inform the operational implementation of the tool across all providers within the UCLA Health System. Nevertheless, the UCLA study team plans to rigorously examine and publish the impact of this intervention across the health system, which is why the study team pre-registered the initiative.

Conditions

• Quality Improvement

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	GenAI Chart Summarization	Epic's generative AI chart summarization tool summarizes a subset of a patient's notes. Use of the tool is optional and intended solely to provide a summary for providers and does not provide clinical decision support. The system automatically selects recent notes or a provider can manually select specific notes of interest. The number of notes summarized is limited by the character constraints of the EHR, 24,000 English characters or 30 notes. The system uses AI to generate a short summary of relevant information. The summaries are meant to be used as a tool to aid providers and are not intended to be placed in clinical notes. The summaries created are currently not stored in the patient's chart.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-23
• Primary completion: 2026-05-01
• Completion: 2026-05-01
• First posted: 2026-02-27
• Last updated: 2026-03-06

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States