The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has expanded the use of an AI-powered clinical assistant across military hospitals and clinics, aiming to reduce clinician burnout by automating medical documentation.
Known as the Clinical AI Agent, the system records conversations between patients and healthcare providers during medical appointments, converting them into structured clinical notes to allow clinicians to focus on care instead of completing paperwork.
Recordings are made only with patient consent to support privacy protections.
The DHA said it tested the technology between October and December 2025 at four military medical facilities before expanding it enterprise-wide in 2026.
During this initial deployment, about 400 healthcare providers reported spending less time on documentation and more time engaging with patients.
Agency feedback also indicated that patients experienced more natural interactions, as clinicians were able to focus on conversations instead of computer screens.
The rollout marks one of the DHA’s largest operational AI deployments, expanding ambient listening technology across the Military Health System following a successful pilot program.
Advancing AI Adoption in Military Healthcare
The move is part of the DHA’s broader effort to expand enterprise AI in line with federal and Pentagon modernization initiatives.
Saniah Fatemi, the program manager who oversaw the deployment, said the rollout marks a significant milestone in the agency’s AI adoption.
“As an AI-enabled clinical tool, ambient listening supports DHA’s transformation into a fully integrated combat support agency,” Fatemi said.
“By rapidly deploying ambient listening at enterprise scale, DHA is executing its mandate to modernize care delivery, strengthen medical readiness, and operationalize high-quality AI technology in support of the warfighter.”
Lt. Col. Matthew Royall, deputy branch chief of ambulatory informatics at the DHA, said clinicians remain responsible for reviewing and signing every AI-generated note before it is added to the patient’s electronic health record in MHS GENESIS.
“Better medical care means fewer down days for our warfighters, and these enhancements contribute to ensuring they are ready to fight,” he added.
