NEW ORLEANS – LCMC Health is turning to ambient AI technology to address one of the biggest challenges facing clinicians: the growing administrative workload that continues long after patient visits end.
The Administrative Burden on Clinicians
Multiple national studies have found that this workload is a major driver of burnout. A widely cited time-motion study by the American Medical Association and Dartmouth-Hitchcock reported that physicians spend nearly twice as much time on electronic health record and desk work as on direct patient care, with only 27% of their office day devoted to face-to-face visits and 49% spent on documentation and related tasks. More recent analyses from the AMA show that office-based physicians now spend more than five hours per eight-hour clinic day in the EHR, underscoring how administrative demands continue to grow.
The cumulative effect has emerged as a concern in Louisiana, where the workforce is already under strain. A 2025 workforce analysis estimates the state could face a shortage of nearly 5,000 physicians by 2030, a projection driven by factors such as retirements, population needs, and the pressures contributing to clinician burnout. These trends are part of the environment in which LCMC Health has decided to adopt ambient AI tools designed to reduce documentation burden and support clinician well-being.
Systemwide Rollout Across LCMC Health
LCMC Health — a system encompassing eight hospitals, a network of urgent care centers and affiliated physician practices, and more than 2,800 clinicians managing nearly 1.5 million annual patient visits — is taking a systemwide approach to easing the administrative burden.
They have selected Nabla, one of the most widely adopted AI assistants in clinical care, to power a major rollout of advanced ambient AI technology. The initiative follows a successful pilot and is designed to reduce documentation demands, support clinician wellness, and improve patient experience across the region.
Ambient AI to Support Clinical Workflows
Nabla’s ambient solution is now integrated with LCMC Health’s Epic Electronic Health Record. The technology captures natural clinician–patient conversations and automatically generates structured, high-quality clinical documentation. The goal is to reduce the administrative load that often follows clinicians home—work that Nabla’s tools can cut by as much as 50 percent—giving physicians more time with patients during the day and less charting after hours.
Dr. Aaron Thompson, Associate Chief Medical Information Officer at LCMC Health, led the implementation. “We evaluated several ambient AI scribe products and in the end decided on Nabla due to their personal support, customizability, and collaboration,” he said.
Dr. Damon Dietrich, Chief Medical Information Officer at LCMC Health, said the decision centered on both technology and partnership. “We wanted a solution that truly supports our clinicians in providing the best possible care for every person and parish in Louisiana while fostering a more personal, empathetic patient experience,” he said.
He added that the team’s priorities extended beyond technical performance to finding a collaborator aligned with LCMC Health’s mission and long-term needs.
“After piloting several leading solutions, we chose Nabla not only for the reliability and accuracy of its technology and forward-thinking roadmap, but also for the strength of the team and partnership behind it. From day one, they’ve listened, understood our unique needs, and are helping us implement something truly tailored to our organization. We invest in partners that want a true relationship with LCMC Health where both remain constantly committed to physician wellness and exceptional patient care.”
A Platform Built for Flexibility
As part of the next phase, clinicians will also gain access to Nabla’s at-cursor dictation functionality, allowing them to mix ambient documentation, dictation, or hybrid approaches depending on workflow. Nabla stands out in its ability to deliver both high-quality ambient AI and dictation tools within a single platform, accessible across mobile and desktop devices from one vendor—an important factor for LCMC Health.
“LCMC Health has been an incredible partner,” said Alex Lebrun, CEO and co-founder of Nabla. “Together, we’re creating workflows based on clinician feedback and delivering intelligent, structured documentation that enhances the already excellent care they provide. This partnership demonstrates how ambient AI can meaningfully transform care across diverse clinical settings.”
Technology in Use Across the Country
As LCMC Health expands its use of ambient AI, it is adopting technology already in use across more than 130 health systems and provider groups. Nabla’s clinical AI assistant generates notes in seconds through ambient documentation, dictation and real-time coding support, and it integrates with all major electronic health records (EHRs), the digital systems clinicians use to store and manage patient information.
The platform also supports roughly 35 languages, giving clinicians flexibility across diverse patient populations. Nabla has raised $120 million from HV Capital, Highland Europe, Cathay Innovation and other investors.
