Athenahealth has released its AI-native clinical encounter, which is designed to transform the electronic health record (EHR) into a real-time clinical intelligence partner.

It serves as a reimagined experience that can anticipate needs of clinicians, deliver insights at the point of care, and draft documentation, orders, and diagnoses based on conversations between patients and clinicians.

This initiative positions the EHR as a collaborative assistant, aimed at reducing cognitive load and improving patient care.

User testing for the clinical encounter will begin in the first half of 2026, reflecting a shift from billing and record-keeping workflows to an interactive experience designed to maximise clinician satisfaction.

The release consolidates AI-native capabilities already in customer use to deliver a more intuitive experience aligned with individual clinician preferences.

athenahealth chairman and CEO Bob Segert said: “The future of healthcare technology isn’t about making doctors work the way the system works – it's about making the system work the way doctors work.

“With our new AI-native clinical encounter, we're ushering in a new era where technology fades into the background. It listens to the visit, understands the context, and engages in real time – so clinicians can focus on what truly matters: the patient.”

At the core of the experience is AthenaAmbient, an ambient digital scribe within AthenaOne that automates prescriptions, draft notes, and diagnoses, while suggesting information to ensure comprehensive documentation and address care gaps.

AthenaAmbient will enter user testing in February 2026 and will be delivered to customers through routine updates at no additional cost.

Athenahealth also introduced Sage, an AI-driven clinical copilot embedded in AthenaOne and available in limited release, which clinicians can utilise to access information regarding a patient.