AI Scribes for Chiropractors: Less Paperwork, More Patient Care

How Rheo Cut Documentation Time by 92% in Chiropractic Practices

Chiropractors spend significant time on documentation that could be used for patient care. In fact, the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) reports nearly one in five working hours go to notes instead of patients, often pushing work into lunch breaks or late nights.  

This case study shows how Rheo, the AI assistant built into ChiroTouch, helped practices cut documentation by as much as 92% while freeing providers to focus more on patients.

What Is an AI Medical Scribe?

An AI scribe functions as a digital note-taker. It listens during the visit and turns the conversation into a SOAP note with Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan.

Unlike dictation tools, providers don’t have to narrate or add punctuation. The AI captures the encounter naturally, filters out small talk, and structures the note for later review. The provider remains in control, with the ability to edit and approve before finalizing.

In early use of Rheo, SOAP notes were drafted as the visit happened. Instead of finishing documentation after hours, chiropractors could review and finalize in the moment, turning what once took hours each week into minutes.

Challenges in Chiropractic Documentation

Across the practices observed, documentation proved to be one of the most difficult parts of daily operations—not only for the hours it required but for the way it reshaped the workday. And rather than easing the load, EHR systems often added clicks and checkboxes that pulled attention away from patients.  

The burden wasn’t always visible, but its impact was felt throughout each practice.

• Time. Hours on notes reduced the number of patients that could be seen each week. ‍
• Focus. Repetitive tasks wore down energy that could have gone to care and staff. ‍
• Connection. Patients noticed divided attention, and providers felt less engaged in their work. ‍
• Revenue. Every hour at the keyboard was an hour not generating income or growing the practice. ‍
• Morale. The grind of repetitive note entry wore down satisfaction and accelerated burnout.

According to the NBCE’s 2025 Practice Analysis, chiropractors spend about 10 hours each week on documentation—nearly a full workday lost to notes. In the practices using Rheo, most of that time was recovered, with providers regaining close to nine hours each week. That meant an extra evening at home, several more patient visits each day, or simply the ability to leave on time.

How AI Documentation Affects Patients

In the practices observed, the benefits extended beyond providers. Patients experienced visits with fewer pauses, more direct attention, and clearer conversations.  

More broadly, research on AI documentation shows the same trend. A recent AMA study found providers using ambient AI scribes saved more than 15,000 hours of documentation time in a year. Similarly, 84% said communication with patients improved. Patients noticed it, too: nearly half reported their doctor spent less time on the computer and more time speaking directly with them.

Changes like these strengthen the foundation of a practice. With eye contact and natural conversation restored, patients are more likely to stay on track with treatment. In turn, trusted care drives referrals and builds a stronger reputation.

Results with Rheo

Practices using ChiroTouch’s Rheo have seen documentation shift from a burden into a streamlined part of the visit, with measurable gains in efficiency and workflow.

• Providers reported Rheo started smoothly in both Cloud and Classic, with a single click once patient consent was given.
• Notes were drafted in real time, with complaints, exam findings, adjustments, and plans dropping into the correct fields during the visit.
• Documentation stayed flexible, working with existing templates and macros so notes reflected each provider’s style.
• Records were finalized quickly, reviewed and approved with one click. ‍
• Documentation time dropped by as much as 92%, turning a 5 to 10-minute task into under a minute and returning hours each week.

These results are possible because of design. Rheo is built directly into ChiroTouch, allowing chiropractors to work inside the system they already know. By matching their terminology, workflows, and SOAP structure, it delivers efficiency without disrupting how practices run.

Customer Spotlight

“The benefits of talking to the AI we found is less conversation, reduced exam times. As a second bonus, the patients have been signing up for more treatment plans... just by the doctor having to vocalize everything.”

— Dr. TJ Phelps, Utah Chiropractic & Car Accident LLC

AI Scribes: The Path Forward for Chiropractors

AI scribes mark the future of documentation, but what matters most isn’t the technology itself. It’s the time they give back to chiropractors and the patients they serve.

With Rheo, that future is already here. By reducing documentation time by up to 92%, Rheo helps chiropractors:

• Finish notes during the visit instead of after hours
• Give patients more attention without the distraction of a screen
• Keep records accurate and consistent with their own templates and style
• Avoid late-night “pajama time” charting
• Put extra hours towards patient care, practice growth, or personal time

Rheo, built directly into ChiroTouch, brings together 25+ years of chiropractic expertise with the latest in artificial intelligence. It delivers efficiency without disrupting how practices already operate—and it puts time back where it belongs: into care.

Learn how Rheo can return hours to your week and give you more time to focus on care. Schedule your demo today.

References

Chiropractic at the Crossroads: Embracing Technology Without Losing Touch. (2025, August 19). ChiroTouch. https://www.chirotouch.com/article/chiropractic-documentation

ChiroTouch Videos. (2025, August 19). Introducing Rheo! Your Fully Integrated AI Assistant Designed Exclusively for Chiropractors. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAYThVe8bfo

Feldheim, B. (2025, June 12). AI Scribes Save 15,000 Hours—and Restore the Human Side of Medicine. American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital-health/ai-scribes-save-15000-hours-and-restore-human-side-medicine

Himelfarb, I., Johnson, C. D., Green, B. N., & Shotts, B. L. (2025). Practice Analysis of Chiropractic 2025. https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/chiropractic/Practice-Analysis-of-Chiropractic-2025.pdf. National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/chiropractic/Practice-Analysis-of-Chiropractic-2025.pdf

Partridge, B. L., Scott, Z. E., Roecker, C. B., Walters, S. A., & Daniels, C. J. (2024). Burnout Amongst Chiropractic Faculty, Practitioners, and Trainees: A Scoping Review. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-024-00550-3

This Isn’t Just Progress. It’s a Shift. (2025). ChiroTouch. https://www.chirotouch.com/article/this-isnt-just-progress-its-a-shift