Wolf&Grayson EditorialDoctors have been drowning in paperwork for years. Everyone knows it, everyone complains about it, and not much changes. Dr. Pradeep Vangala, an internist in Central Florida, decided he was not going to wait for the system to fix itself. He started using AI documentation tools in his practice. The result is simple. He is no longer spending his evenings finishing notes.
Understanding Why Skepticism Still Exists
People love to hate new technology. Vangala has heard it all before. “I have heard one of the keynote speakers talk about how people were skeptical when the internet came out and what it was going to do, and I hear a lot of those things about AI now,” he says.
Same worries, different decade. He is not buying into the fear. “I think AI is here to stay. It is the future, so the sooner we embrace it, the better.” That does not mean rushing in without thinking. “We need a little bit more regulation and oversight,” he adds. The technology is still maturing. Different people are taking it in different directions, and nobody really knows where it will land yet.
Talk is cheap. What matters is whether this works when you are seeing patients back to back. In Vangala’s practice, AI documentation is not a special tool they occasionally use. “My nurse practitioners use ambient documentation when they are interacting with patients all the time, every day. And I do the same when I am with my patients.” The impact is clear. “It has significantly enhanced my time management.” That phrase sounds formal, but what it really means is that his days feel completely different.
Reducing Stressful Documentation Routines
Think about a typical doctor’s visit. You are talking, but your doctor is half focused on the computer, typing or clicking through fields. Vangala remembers being that doctor. “In the past I would talk to the patient, but I was always in a rush to get out of the room because I needed to document before I went on to my next patient.”
The alternative was not any better. See patients all day, then stay late to catch up. “Either that or if I was running late, I would see my patients, my day would finish, and at the end of the day I would be sitting there for a couple of hours finishing my notes.” Hours of unpaid overtime just to keep up with documentation. That used to be normal. “I am so glad to tell you that those days are behind me right now,” Vangala says. He is not exaggerating. The shift is that dramatic.
Improving Care Through Better Presence
Here is what people do not talk about enough. When doctors are not stressed about documentation, patients get better care. It really is that simple. Vangala can now “spend more time” with each patient. Not because he extends his clinic hours, but because he is not mentally calculating how long his notes will take. Patients feel the difference. They get a doctor who is actually present in the room, not someone with one foot already on to the next task.
His experience is no longer rare. More physicians are discovering that AI tools can solve real problems instead of just adding another layer of complexity. Technology will keep evolving. Regulations will eventually catch up. In the meantime, doctors like Vangala have found something that works.
Work life balance is not just consultant language. It is the difference between a sustainable career and burnout. Vangala has found a way to leave work at work. For a physician, that is not a small win. It is the foundation for staying in practice and continuing to care for patients well.
Connect with Dr. Pradeep Vangala here for more insights on practical AI in medicine.
