The hidden cost of documentation in healthcare

Half of a clinician’s workday is not spent with patients. It is spent typing, clicking, and chasing paperwork. Doctors report spending up to 40 percent of their working hours on administrative tasks, taking time away from patient care. The cost goes far beyond frustration. It means fewer appointments, more burnout, and lost trust at the bedside.

This article looks at the real cost of documentation, the hours it drains, the money it wastes, and the impact it has on patient outcomes. It also explores how AI support can give time back to clinicians without compromising trust or accuracy.

How much time do clinicians really spend on paperwork?

Across countries, studies show a consistent pattern. For every hour of direct patient care, doctors spend nearly two additional hours on documentation.

The Physician Workforce Survey found that physicians spend about 24 percent of their working hours on administrative tasks, with primary care doctors and women most affected. Two thirds reported that this level of admin burden harms patient care and career satisfaction, and increases burnout.

In Sweden, doctors spend more than five hours per week working overtime to finish documentation, a pattern linked to burnout, stress, and emotional exhaustion.

The result is not just lost time. It is reduced presence with patients, limited availability for appointments, and less energy for meaningful care.

The financial cost of excessive documentation

Time lost to admin also carries a financial toll. When clinicians see fewer patients each day, practices lose revenue while costs stay fixed. Many providers try to solve this by hiring scribes or additional staff, but that creates new expenses that are difficult to sustain.

The bigger cost comes from inefficiency. Over months and years, these frictions compound into one of the most expensive burdens in healthcare.

The human cost for clinicians and patients

The weight of documentation shows up in stress, fatigue, and burnout.

• 54% report stress due to documentation; 32% link it to burnout.
• Global burnout is 49%, with admin burden cited as the top cause.
• Patients feel it too: 56% say doctors are too distracted by paperwork.
• 22% say their doctor spends most of the visit focused on a screen.
• One in four report errors in their medical records; 14% say those errors affected treatment.

This erosion of trust is one of the deepest costs of admin work. It disconnects clinicians from their calling and patients from the care they deserve. The World Health Organization has recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon, classifying it as a workplace hazard that directly affects patient safety.

Why paperwork persists in modern healthcare

Documentation requirements exist for good reasons, including compliance, billing, and patient safety. But the system has grown heavy. Doctors now spend hours re-entering data across electronic health records, billing forms, and safety checklists.

Instead of making life easier, many digital tools have added complexity. In our Time to Care report, 64 percent of clinicians say admin reduces focus during consultations, and 50 percent believe it increases the risk of clinical error. What began as a way to protect patients has created new risks.

How AI support changes the equation

AI scribes offer a different path. By listening quietly during the visit and drafting notes in real time, they give clinicians the chance to review and approve with a single click. Control stays with the doctor, while the workload shifts.

In the US, an AMA study found AI scribes saved doctors about one hour per day on typing clinical notes. Clinicians consistently rank time savings as the top benefit, followed by reduced stress, improved accuracy, and stronger patient interaction, as reflected in the Time to care report.

It is no surprise that 88 percent of clinicians believe AI documentation tools will become standard within five years.

What less paperwork means for patient outcomes

When clinicians spend less time on paperwork, they gain more time for patients. That presence restores trust, improves listening, and leads to better care decisions. Patients notice when their doctor looks at them instead of the screen.

The ripple effects extend further. Reduced admin burden means clinicians can see more patients without extending their hours, cut down on overtime, and protect their own wellbeing. This balance supports continuity of care and reduces errors, since incomplete documentation contributes to treatment delays and miscommunication.

However, the hidden cost of paperwork can be reversed. With the right tools, healthcare can shift the balance back to people, not admin.

Conclusion

The hidden cost of documentation is measured in time, money, and human energy. It drains healthcare systems, pushes clinicians toward burnout, and leaves patients feeling less connected and less safe.

AI support offers a way forward. By cutting admin time in half, it gives clinicians back the presence and trust that matter most in care.

References

• US Survey (2020). Administrative burden on clinicians. PMC article
• Tandem Health Report: Time to Care (UK, 2025). Tandem Health
• Swedish Medical Association (2024). Overtime and admin burden. SLF
• Sinsky C, et al. (2016). Allocation of physician time in ambulatory practice. Annals of Internal Medicine
• Physician Workforce Survey (2017). AMA report
• Medscape (2024). Physician burnout and lifestyle report. AMA summary
• WHO (2019). Burn out an occupational phenomenon. WHO
• AMA (2023). AI scribes improve efficiency. AMA