We Cut Pajama Time in Half. Did Patients Feel It?

CROSS Global Research & Strategy,LLC
7 days ago
3 min read

Ambient AI scribes are reducing charting time and accelerating note closure, but in high-stakes moments (such as cancer care), do patients perceive those saved minutes as deeper empathy and more meaningful connections with their doctors or just faster visits?

Author: CROSS Global Research & Strategy

Date: September 25, 2025

At the Cleveland Clinic, deploying ambient scribe technology from Ambience cut clinicians’ after-hours “pajama time” by nearly half. Notes closed faster, evenings were reclaimed, and face time with patients rose by a third. On paper, it’s a clear operational win. But here’s the harder question: if a patient hears a cancer diagnosis, does that regained time convert into deeper empathy and clearer communication, or just a faster visit?

Two Physician Realities: In Clinic vs. After-Hours “Pajama Time”

What is “pajama time”?

In healthcare, pajama time refers to the after-hours documentation work clinicians do at home—often late at night, long after patient visits have ended. It’s the time spent catching up on Electronic Health Record notes and chart closures instead of resting or being with family. Reducing pajama time lowers the risk of burnout, frees clinicians for higher-value tasks, and (in theory) opens the door to more engaged patient encounters the next day.

"Efficiency doesn’t automatically equal trust. What endures is not speed—it’s connection"

Public sentiment: Adoption outpaces trust

According to Pew Research (September 17, 2025), Americans are far more concerned (50%) than excited (10%) about the impact of AI on their daily lives. A majority (57%) see AI’s risks as high, while just one-quarter highlight benefits. Six in ten want more control. Their sharpest fears: that AI will erode creativity and weaken relationships.

Most are comfortable with AI in “backstage” applications, such as fraud detection or drug discovery, but less so when it enters personal domains. And transparency is non-negotiable: three-quarters say it’s essential to know when content is AI-made, though most admit they can’t reliably tell.

These findings expose a trust gap that health systems must navigate. If operational wins aren’t perceived by patients as translating into stronger relationships, they risk fueling skepticism rather than confidence.

The Forbes insight: Humanity as moat

In Forbes (Sept. 22, 2025), Julian Hayes II argues that AI is rapidly becoming commodity infrastructure. The real differentiator is human. Skills like empathy, judgment in gray zones, storytelling, and trust-building are exactly what people fear AI may erode. As Hayes notes: “The challenge for leaders is not choosing between AI and people, but designing systems where each strengthens the other.”

Organizations that focus solely on tool adoption will be quickly outmatched. Those that invest in the human edge will build moats no algorithm can cross.

What leaders should try next

Measure the patient dividend. Track pajama time and chart closure rates—but also whether patients report greater trust, clearer explanations, and better communication after AI-enabled visits.
Make transparency visible. Label AI-assisted notes in patient portals, and use plain language when models contribute: “This summary was drafted with AI assistance so your clinician could focus fully on listening.”
Reinvest the time in humanity. Use reclaimed minutes to strengthen empathy: pause, summarize aloud, invite questions, and ensure patients—especially those facing serious diagnoses feel heard.

Bottom line

Cutting pajama time by nearly half is an operational breakthrough. But what endures is not speed, it’s connection. If those reclaimed minutes deepen listening, bolster trust, and allow humanity to shine, then AI becomes the backstage accelerant, not the star. Otherwise, we risk optimizing out the very thing patients seek: care that feels more human, not just faster.

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