Insights from the Front Lines of Medical Documentation

We explore the root causes of information chaos, designing for clarity, and the thoughtful application of AI in medicine.

Notes Are Deadweight. Clinical Context Is the Future.
Blog, Our Approach Jacob Kantrowitz Blog, Our Approach Jacob Kantrowitz

Notes Are Deadweight. Clinical Context Is the Future.

For years, the clinical note has been treated as the centerpiece of medical documentation. But in practice, it’s become a relic of a paper-based past—bloated with repetition, slow to navigate, and ill-suited to the way clinicians actually think. At River Records, we’re reimagining documentation not as a series of static notes, but as a living, structured reflection of the patient. By organizing everything around medical problems rather than encounters, Stream gives clinicians the context they need without forcing them to dig through layers of outdated text. The result is faster reviews, clearer updates, and documentation that actually supports care.

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The Future of Live Documentation - Addressing the Growing Problem of Medical Documentation Overload
White Paper, The Problem, Our Approach Jacob Kantrowitz White Paper, The Problem, Our Approach Jacob Kantrowitz

The Future of Live Documentation - Addressing the Growing Problem of Medical Documentation Overload

As AI continues to transform healthcare, many assume it can fix the growing issue of documentation overload. While AI offers just-in-time summaries and automation, relying solely on it without improving how data is structured leads to bloated, disorganized charts. In our latest post, we explore why better organization—through problem-oriented documentation and structured data—is key to streamlining workflows, reducing costs, and enhancing patient care.

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The Danger of Pre-Templated Information in Medical Records
Blog, AI in Clinical Practice Jacob Kantrowitz Blog, AI in Clinical Practice Jacob Kantrowitz

The Danger of Pre-Templated Information in Medical Records

Templating notes, exams, care plans, and histories can be bad for patient care, even if it's good for clinician efficiency. Clinical documentation ought to accurately reflect the hard work clinicians put into their care. Fortunately, large language models can help build better documentation that is reflective of the vibrancy of the patients they describe.

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Beyond Notes: Why It Is Time to Abandon an Outdated Documentation Paradigm
Research, Our Approach Jackson Steinkamp Research, Our Approach Jackson Steinkamp

Beyond Notes: Why It Is Time to Abandon an Outdated Documentation Paradigm

The medical chart—including notes, labs, and imaging results—should be reconceptualized as a dynamic, fully collaborative workspace organized by topic rather than time, writer, or data type. This will lead to better clinical outcomes and higher job satisfaction among clinicians, who will suffer less with decreased cognitive burden.

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A Web Application for Adrenal Incidentaloma Identification, Tracking, and Management Using Machine Learning
AI in Clinical Practice, Research Jackson Steinkamp AI in Clinical Practice, Research Jackson Steinkamp

A Web Application for Adrenal Incidentaloma Identification, Tracking, and Management Using Machine Learning

Incidental findings are a common medical problem that are prone to falling through the cracks of the medical system. Building safety net systems to identify, track, and to help manage these potentially dangerous findings can decrease the cognitive burden on physicians and lead to better outcomes for patients. In this manuscript, we present a software system designed to identify adrenal incidentalomas and track them over time.

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