AI medical scribe cuts clinician documentation time, with greater reduction among more frequent users

Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 26 October 2026   

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Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.   
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1. AI medical scribe cuts clinician documentation time, with greater reduction among more frequent users

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-05294

Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-03797

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

A quality improvement study found that clinicians who enrolled in an ambient artificial intelligence (AI) medical scribe program spent less time documenting patient visits, with the greatest time savings seen among those who used the tool most often. Frequent users reduced the time spent actively working on notes by about 2.5 minutes per encounter; however, there were no associated improvements seen in after-hours documentation, same-day note completion, or productivity. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Beth Israel Lahey Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center analyzed more than 1.6 million patient encounters involving 902 clinicians in the Beth Israel Lahey Health system between July 2024 and January 2026 to evaluate whether enrollment in an AI-powered scribe tool reduced documentation burden for outpatient clinicians and whether the benefits varied based on how often clinicians used the technology. The primary outcome was note-active time per encounter, quantified as minutes spent with notes open in the electronic health record. They found that after enrollment, clinicians experienced an immediate 1.2-minute reduction in note-active time per encounter. High users experienced a 2.5-minute reduction per encounter, whereas minimal change was observed among clinicians who integrated the AI-scribe less or not at all into their clinical practice. However, use of the tool did not improve same-day note completion, reduce after-hours documentation, or increase clinical productivity. The study did not examine the quality of the notes. The authors conclude that ambient AI scribes may help ease documentation workload, especially when used regularly, but further research is warranted to evaluate their impact on other measures of efficiency.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Sara E. Booth, MPH, please email sbooth4@bidmc.harvard.edu.

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2. Obesity in young adults associated with higher risk for early-onset cancer

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02612

Summary for Patients: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-02612-PS

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

A nationwide population-based cohort study of more than 6.3 million Korean adults found that young adults with obesity were more likely to develop cancer before midlife than their normal-weight peers. Cancer risk increased as body weight rose, with the highest rates seen among people with severe obesity and abdominal obesity, highlighting the potential importance of weight management in preventing early-onset cancers. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Soongsil University, The Catholic University of Korea, and colleagues analyzed health screening and insurance data from 6,313,338 Korean adults ages 20 to 39 who had no history of cancer and followed them for an average of 11 years. They found that those with obesity were more likely to develop cancer than those of normal weight, and people who also had excess abdominal fat were at even greater risk. The strongest associations were seen for thyroid, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. The findings underscore the potential importance of early-life weight management and warrant future research on the effect of intentional weight loss and cancer risk.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding authors Kyungdo Han, PhD, and Jang Won Son, MD, PhD please email hkd917@naver.com and emd76@catholic.ac.kr.

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3. Minimally invasive liver surgery for colorectal liver metastasis reduces complications without affecting long-term cancer outcomes

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-02171

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

An individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) found that patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) to remove colorectal cancer that had spread to the liver experienced fewer postoperative complications than those who underwent open liver resection (OLR). LLR, which is less invasive, offered similar long-term survival and cancer recurrence outcomes while reducing short-term surgical risks. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Oslo University Hospital and colleagues evaluated individual patient data from 761 patients across four published randomized controlled trials comparing LLR and OLR for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). They found that the rate for postoperative complications after LLR was 19% compared with 27% for OLR. LLR was associated with lower postoperative morbidity and shorter hospital stay compared with open resection, whereas long-term oncologic outcomes were similar between groups. The authors conclude that laparoscopic liver surgery can provide better short-term recovery outcomes without compromising long-term cancer control.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Åsmund A. Fretland, MD, PhD, please email aafret@ous-hf.no.

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4. Nearly 9 in 10 organizations oppose proposed OMB federal grant rule changes

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-03287

URL goes live when the embargo lifts             

An analysis of more than 3,600 comments submitted by organizations to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding a proposed rule change that would dramatically alter the decision-making processes for Federal grants found that nearly 88% of these comments expressed opposition to the proposed changes. Among the changes proposed was having political appointees approve grants based on their alignment with the administration’s priorities rather than on scientific merit. The analysis is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Investigators from the American Cancer Society used a structured large language model to review and analyze 3,653 comments submitted by organizations during OMB's 2026 public comment period on proposed revisions to regulations governing federal financial assistance. The comments represented 3,557 organizations across sectors such as local governments, nonprofits, health care organizations, professional associations, academic institutions, and businesses. The analysis found that the most common concerns centered on grant administration and compliance requirements, transparency and procedural safeguards, termination authority, research funding stability, and allowable costs. The authors conclude that organizational commenters largely opposed the proposed revisions and that the findings highlight areas where additional clarification or changes to the regulations may be needed.

Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author Zhiyuan Zheng, PhD, please email jason.zheng@cancer.org.

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Also in this issue:

The Illusion of Oversight in Clinical Artificial Intelligence: Human Out of the Loop?

Christine Y. Zhou, DO; Alexandra Willauer, MD; Eric J. Topol, MD; and Pranav Rajpurkar, PhD

Ideas and Opinions

Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-02753

Author Q&A: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-04410-IM