On a sunny morning in Victoria, British Columbia, Dr. Jesse Pewarchuk settles into his office at Aroga Lifestyle Medicine, but something is noticeably different from the typical medical practice. There’s no medical scribe trailing behind him, no stack of charts waiting to be completed after hours. Instead, as he welcomes his first patient of the day, an AI-powered assistant silently captures every word of their conversation, transforming their dialogue into detailed clinical notes in real-time.
“At this point, it’s almost as good as a high-quality human scribe,” Dr. Pewarchuk says of Chartnote AI Scribe, the AI technology that has transformed his practice. His eyes light up as he describes the system that has become an integral part of his daily routine. “I would very highly recommend this system to any clinician who’s got even the smallest interest in helping out more patients while improving the quality of their own life.”
Breaking Free from the Documentation Burden
For many physicians, the growing burden of medical documentation has become a critical challenge, often leading to burnout and reduced patient interaction. Dr. Pewarchuk, who serves as both a practicing physician and the Medical Director of the Island Health Bariatric Clinic, was no stranger to these pressures. As someone who has never fit the mold of a typical physician, he approached the problem with an entrepreneur’s mindset.
His journey with medical technology innovation began long before the current AI revolution. As a co-founder of Medeo Corp., which became Canada’s first distributed telemedicine provider, Dr. Pewarchuk had already demonstrated his ability to recognize and implement transformative healthcare technologies. This background made him particularly receptive to the potential of AI-powered documentation solutions.
The Transformation of Daily Practice
The impact of implementing Chartnote AI Scribe has been profound. “This has allowed us to markedly improve the efficiency of paperwork,” Dr. Pewarchuk explains, “and this has resulted in more throughput of patients, more income, and less paperwork coming home with me.” The significance of this last point shouldn’t be understated – for many physicians, evening hours once devoted to family or personal time are often consumed by documentation tasks.
As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine with the University of British Columbia and someone who regularly lectures at medical conferences, Dr. Pewarchuk has observed the evolution of medical documentation tools firsthand. “Chartnote AI Scribe keeps on getting better and better,” he notes, highlighting the rapid advancement of AI technology in the medical field.
Beyond Efficiency: Enhancing Patient Care
The benefits of AI scribing extend far beyond mere convenience. For Dr. Pewarchuk, whose practice at Aroga Lifestyle Medicine focuses on transformative health changes through lifestyle modifications, the ability to maintain complete attention on patients during consultations is crucial. The system allows him to maintain eye contact and focus entirely on the patient’s story, picking up on subtle cues that might otherwise be missed while typing notes.
As someone who is double board certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Pewarchuk understands the importance of building strong patient relationships. The reduction in documentation burden has allowed him to expand his practice’s capacity while maintaining the personal touch that is essential to lifestyle medicine.
A Tech-Enabled Future for Medicine
Dr. Pewarchuk’s embrace of AI scribing technology reflects his broader vision for the future of medicine. Having played a key role in the development of advanced telemedicine from an early stage, including his involvement with ConsultDerm, he sees AI scribing as another step toward a more efficient and patient-centered healthcare system.
The technology’s impact on his practice aligns perfectly with his mission to transform how medicine is defined in his community and beyond. From his early days as Chief of Internal Medicine for Victoria General and Royal Jubilee Hospitals to his current role pioneering lifestyle medicine approaches, Dr. Pewarchuk has consistently sought ways to improve both patient care and physician well-being.
The Human Element in a Digital Age
Despite his enthusiasm for technology, Dr. Pewarchuk never loses sight of the human element in medicine. His own lifestyle transformation story, which he often shares with patients, demonstrates the power of personal connection in healthcare. The time saved through AI scribing allows him to deepen these connections, sharing more meaningful moments with patients and spending evenings with his family – including his wife, their three children, and even tending to their large vegetable garden.
As healthcare continues to evolve, Dr. Pewarchuk’s experience suggests that the integration of AI tools like Chartnote AI Scribe isn’t just about efficiency – it’s about creating space for the human aspects of medicine to flourish. For a physician who has always seen technology as a means to enhance rather than replace human connection, this balance is essential.
Looking ahead, Dr. Pewarchuk remains optimistic about the future of medical practice. As AI scribing technology continues to improve, he envisions a healthcare system where physicians can focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks. It’s a future where technology serves as an enabler of better healthcare relationships, not a barrier to them.
For more insights on how AI is transforming healthcare documentation, visit Chartnote’s official blog.
About Chartnote
Chartnote is revolutionizing medical documentation one note at a time by making generative AI, voice-recognition, and smart templates available to any clinician. We know first-hand that completing notes while treating patients is time-consuming and an epic challenge. Chartnote was developed as a complementary EHR solution to write your SOAP notes faster. Focus on what matters most. Sign up for a free account: chartnote.com
