What Abridge does
Abridge provides ambient scribing, which records a medical visit and turns it into structured clinical documentation in real time. It works across 50-plus specialties and 14-plus languages, including Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. Abridge can tell apart multiple voices in multiple languages in the same room, and it works for both in-person and telehealth visits. After a visit, it creates a summary for the medical record and for the patient.
Abridge is one of two ambient scribing companies with a “deep integration” with Epic, so clinicians can use it without leaving the Epic platform. Since launching in 2018, it has been used by more than 5,000 clinicians and reports saving over 70 hours per clinician each month on documentation.
Why this matters
Ambient scribing has been shown to reduce clinician burnout in commercial settings. For providers and clinics that serve the safety net, that could free up real capacity, improve the accuracy of medical records, and make visits better for patients. All of which matter for closing gaps in care.
The technology also produces a lot of new health care data. That data could better reflect racial, ethnic, and linguistically diverse speakers, though it still requires physician oversight to ensure records are accurate and complete.
Founder and CEO: Shiv Rao, MD
Alongside his role at Abridge, Shiv is a faculty member and practicing cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He was previously an Executive Vice President at UPMC Enterprises, where he managed the portfolio of technology investments and R&D serving providers.
Why CHCF cares
CHCF is working to support AI adoption in the safety net. In our AI Listening Tours, participants named ambient scribing a top area of interest for AI. We will follow Abridge’s rollout with early adopters like the Los Angeles-based AltaMed, the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in the country, and capture the lessons that can guide the broader safety net delivery system.
Beyond AI adoption, Abridge could have real effects on the workforce, primary care, and language access for the communities the safety net serves.
Learn how Abridge gives doctors more time for patients and family on the CHCF Blog.
See the Innovation Fund FAQ to learn more about program-related investments at the California Health Care Foundation and how we reinvest profits in our mission-related work.