A new analysis from Swedish firm Tandem Health suggests that automated note-taking technology is reducing paperwork for clinicians across Europe and allowing them to spend more meaningful time with patients.
The company reviewed more than 375,000 medical notes produced with its AI scribe, a tool now used by nearly 1,300 clinicians in 11 European countries, including the UK, France and Spain. The findings indicate that the technology shortened the average time spent writing notes from 6.69 minutes to 4.71 minutes — a 29% drop.
Tandem Health also surveyed 177 clinicians, ranging from GPs and surgeons to psychologists and nurses. Many said the reduction in administrative work allowed them to feel more attentive during consultations, while some reported a noticeable decrease in stress linked to routine documentation.
Health workforce fatigue remains a growing concern in Europe. An international survey published earlier this year found that administrative overload is a major factor behind burnout among primary care doctors. In the UK, 28% of GPs who reported burnout said excessive paperwork was the main cause. In Switzerland, the proportion rose to 65%.
Tandem Health CEO Lukas Saari said the results highlight how digital tools could support overstretched services. “For European healthcare systems facing acute workforce shortages and rising costs, that capacity gain could make a real difference at scale, addressing wait times, clinician burnout and care access,” he said.
The company stressed that much of the existing research on AI scribes comes from the United States, where healthcare structures differ significantly from those in Europe. Tandem Health’s scribe is classified as a medical device under EU rules, and the firm says more regional evidence is necessary as adoption grows.
Dr Artin Entezarjou, head of medical operations at Tandem Health, said the data offers insight for policymakers and health leaders examining new ways to address persistent staffing pressures. He noted that European systems must understand how such tools function in their own clinical environments to shape appropriate guidance and investment decisions.
Supporters of the technology argue that even modest efficiency gains could help reduce appointment backlogs and ease strain on health workers. Many clinicians in the survey said the extra time and reduced cognitive load improved the quality of their patient interactions, which they viewed as a central benefit of the scribe.
The findings arrive as hospitals and primary care networks across Europe continue to test digital tools that could take on repetitive administrative duties. Tandem Health says demand for its scribe has risen sharply over the past year as more clinicians explore ways to streamline paperwork without compromising record accuracy.
The company plans to expand data collection to assess long-term effects on patient flow, clinical workload and staff retention.
