Clinical documentation is essential, but for many practices it has become a growing source of cost, delay, and burnout. For Dr. Carlos Esparza, documentation workflows were slowing his clinic down, straining staff, and consuming tens of thousands of dollars annually.

By replacing legacy transcription services with Claio AI, an AI-powered medical scribe integrated directly with MacPractice, Dr. Esparza transformed documentation from an administrative burden into a real-time clinical asset. The result was faster notes, lower costs, and a fundamentally different way of practicing medicine.

“Claio has been transformative. It has changed how I practice medicine by removing inefficiencies from my workflow and significantly reducing stress. The learning curve is small, but the benefits keep growing the more you use it. It is not just a transcription tool. It fundamentally changes how you care for patients.” — Dr. Carlos Esparza

The Challenge: Delayed, Costly, and Inefficient Documentation

Before adopting Claio, Dr. Esparza’s clinic relied on a traditional outsourced transcription service. Notes were dictated, uploaded, transcribed externally, and returned days later. Errors were common and fixing them required multiple handoffs between the physician and office staff, further delaying completion.

The financial impact was significant. The clinic was spending approximately $45,000 to $50,000 per year on transcription services, with recurring bills of several thousand dollars every few weeks. At a time when reimbursements were declining and operating costs were rising, documentation had become both a productivity bottleneck and a financial liability.

Operationally, the workflow added stress and risk. Notes were often finalized well after patient visits, forcing clinicians to rely on memory rather than real-time context. Busy clinic days made it difficult to stay on schedule without sacrificing documentation quality.

The Impact: Replacing Legacy Transcription With Integrated AI

After experimenting with traditional dictation tools and finding them insufficient, Dr. Esparza began evaluating AI-based alternatives. Claio stood out because it did more than transcribe speech. It integrated directly with MacPractice, eliminating the need for staff to manually attach, format, or re-enter notes.

Implementation was fast and practical. Within two days, Dr. Esparza was fully operational with Claio and required minimal training. Early workflow issues were addressed quickly by the Claio team, often within hours, allowing the system to adapt to the clinic’s real-world needs.

When the physician assistant joined shortly after, they were able to use Claio immediately with no additional training. The system fit naturally into existing workflows without disrupting patient care.

Faster Notes, Better Continuity, and Reduced Stress

Claio changed how documentation was created and used. Notes are now generated in real time, allowing documentation to be completed almost immediately after visits. Reviewing a note typically takes about one minute, dramatically reducing administrative overhead.

Documentation quality improved as well. Claio consistently captured clinically relevant details and well-structured conclusions that previously required additional time to articulate. This resulted in clearer records for follow-up visits, referrals, and imaging requests.

Patients now leave the clinic with printed notes in hand, reducing confusion and follow-up calls. Referring providers receive complete documentation instantly. Most importantly, the new workflow removed backlogs, reduced stress, and allowed the clinic to stay on schedule even during high-volume days.

Immediate Cost Savings and Scalable Operations

From a financial standpoint, the return on investment was immediate. By replacing outsourced transcription services, the clinic is saving approximately $40,000 per year. Claio’s cost was substantially lower than traditional transcription, making the decision financially compelling.

Operationally, Claio eliminated the need for a part-time staff role dedicated to managing notes. Instead of adding headcount, the clinic was able to reassign that employee to higher-value responsibilities, improving efficiency across the practice.

Strategically, documentation is no longer a constraint on growth. The clinic can handle patient volume without increasing administrative burden, and clinicians can focus more fully on patient care rather than clerical work.

From Documentation Burden to Clinical Backbone

Claio has become a core part of daily operations for Dr. Esparza’s clinic. By removing inefficiencies, improving documentation quality, and reducing stress across the team, it has reshaped how care is delivered.

What began as a replacement for transcription has evolved into a foundational clinical tool. With a short learning curve and compounding benefits over time, Claio continues to support better care, smoother workflows, and a more sustainable practice.