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3 minute read
Introduction
"We have to sign the note for the claim to be sent out and paid for that service. When our therapists don’t complete documentation on time, it can throw off our authorization count—we could be over-treating a patient without approval, leading to compliance risks and financial challenges," says Madison Splan, DPT and Director of Operations for Mountain Land Physical Therapy. Madison says billing and AR aging were just one of the functional areas the organization sought to improve when it began exploring AI scribing.
Founded in 1984, Mountain Land Physical Therapy has grown into a leading multi-clinic organization, expanding from 38 to 72 clinics in just five years with a minority investor group while staying true to its PT-owned model. With a relentless focus on clinician support and patient care, Mountain Land views technology adoption as a means to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and prevent clinician burnout—not just speed up note-taking.
The Challenge
Balancing Productivity and Clinician Well-Being
When Mountain Land acquired two new clinics in 2024, leadership saw an opportunity to leverage AI scribing to address critical operational challenges:
- Productivity: The goal was to align therapist productivity with national benchmarks without increasing workload stress.
- Clinician Retention: Therapists were spending hours outside of work completing documentation, contributing to burnout and dissatisfaction.
- Recruiting: Documentation burden was a concern for potential hires and something even PT students were already concerned about.
- Labor & Overtime Costs: The organization needed to better manage labor expenses while maintaining high-quality patient care.
- Revenue Cycle & Compliance: Delays in documentation sign-off were causing billing inefficiencies and increasing write-offs.
The Solution
Choosing Sidekick AI Scribing
Madison Splan led a rigorous evaluation of multiple AI scribing vendors, searching for a solution that could seamlessly scale across all their clinics while meeting Mountain Land’s strategic priorities:
- A True Partnership: More than just a vendor, Mountain Land sought a technology partner aligned with their values and growth strategy.
- Flexible Licensing: With fluctuating clinical needs, the ability to adjust licenses periodically was critical.
- Cost-Effective Model: A per-user licensing structure proved more viable than a volume-based pricing model.
- Seamless EMR Integration: Ensuring frictionless adoption within their existing digital ecosystem was a must.
After a pilot period and clinician feedback, PredictionHealth’s Sidekick AI Scribing emerged as the clear choice, offering the best combination of efficiency, compliance support, and scalability.
From Pilot to Full-Scale Rollout
Mountain Land launched an initial 20-clinician pilot, gathering feedback before expanding access. To encourage engagement, Madison introduced Sidekick as a performance-based benefit, offering it to:
- PTs and PTAs maintaining 12+ daily visits
- Clinic directors maintaining 10+ daily visits
With 63 providers now using Sidekick, therapists have been able to sustain productivity levels without added stress or burnout.
Key Outcomes & Impact
Sidekick AI scribing has driven transformational improvements across Mountain Land’s operations:
1. Clinician Satisfaction & Work-Life Balance
- 50-75% time savings on initial evaluations and 25-50% savings on daily notes
- 58% reduction in weekly overtime hours, saving $177 per provider/month—a total of $11,000 monthly
- Strengthened therapist satisfaction and workplace culture
2. Productivity & Operational Efficiency
- Faster documentation enables therapists to see more patients per day
- 69% reduction in time to sign notes, improving revenue cycle efficiency
3. Enhanced Recruiting & Talent Acquisition
- AI scribing listed in job postings attracts more applicants
- PT students and prospective hires expressed greater interest in joining Mountain Land
4. Revenue Cycle & Compliance Optimization
- Faster note completion reduced AR aging
- Improved ability to collect patient payments before discharge
“We’re seeing a significant reduction in our time to sign, which reduces our AR aging significantly. Our ability to collect payment responsibility before discharge is also improving because we can send clean claims out quickly.”
Keys to Success: What Made It Work
Madison credits several key factors in Mountain Land’s successful adoption of Sidekick AI Scribing:
✔ Strong Leadership Buy-In: Having an internal champion who also treats patients helped drive adoption.
✔ Alignment with Company Culture: Choosing a vendor that shared Mountain Land’s values ensured a true partnership, not just a transaction.
✔ AI as a Performance Incentive: Tying access to Sidekick to productivity benchmarks encouraged engagement.
✔ Scalability & Flexibility: A dynamic contract structure allowed Mountain Land to optimize resource allocation.
“We try to choose what we call strategic partners at Mountain Land where the relationship benefits both parties. We want to bring something to the table, too, and have a more symbiotic relationship than a transactional one. That’s what we’re doing with PredictionHealth.”
Looking Ahead
Mountain Land continues to expand its use of Sidekick AI Scribing while exploring further AI-driven efficiencies across departments. As they grow, the ability to leverage AI without sacrificing clinician well-being remains a top priority.
