From pre-visit forms and medical histories to insurance data and surgical risk assessments, the paperwork burden is heavy — and growing. That’s why more orthopedic practices are turning to AI platforms to streamline intake workflows and get patients to care faster.
But which AI platform actually delivers on its promise? Let’s break it down.
The Problem With Traditional Intake in Orthopedics
Orthopedics often deals with complex, high-acuity cases that require detailed intake information:
- Musculoskeletal history
- Prior imaging
- Previous surgeries or injury history
- Joint-specific questionnaires (e.g., KOOS, HOOS, ASES)
- Pre-operative screenings
- Consent forms and insurance documentation
Traditionally, gathering and organizing this information means a mix of emailed PDFs, portal messages, clipboard forms at check-in, and manual data entry by front office staff. The result?
- Delays in patient throughput
- Missed or incomplete information
- Frustrated staff and providers
- Lower satisfaction scores
AI automation offers a better way — but only if the platform is built with orthopedic workflows in mind.
What to Look for in an AI Intake Platform for Orthopedics
Here are the must-have features to evaluate when choosing an AI intake platform:
1. Smart Form Handling
Look for AI that can automatically extract data from structured and unstructured intake forms — whether they come in via portal, fax, email, or scan.
Example: A patient sends in a filled-out history form as a photo or PDF. The AI should be able to parse handwriting, recognize fields, and push relevant data to the EHR.
2. Specialty-Specific Logic
Generic AI won’t understand that the KOOS JR. form applies to knee replacement, or that prior spine surgeries need to be flagged for review. The best platforms are trained on orthopedic-specific intake workflows.
3. EHR Integration
Does the AI actually write into your EHR? Can it populate the patient’s chart with histories, risk scores, or demographics? Or does it just create another dashboard to monitor?
Integration with systems like Epic, NextGen, eClinicalWorks, or Athena is critical.
4. Task Automation
Does the AI trigger next steps automatically? For example:
- Route patient-reported pain scores to the right triage nurse
- Auto-initiate prior auth for surgery once a form is completed
- Notify schedulers when risk clearance is completed
AI that stops at “document digitization” isn’t enough.
5. Compliance and Auditability
All AI actions should be logged and reviewable. This includes HIPAA compliance, data traceability, and the ability to track when forms were received, processed, and filed.
Top AI Platforms Competing in This Space
Several vendors are trying to tackle intake automation for orthopedics. Here's how some of the leading solutions compare:
VendorSpecialty-Aware?EHR IntegrationTask AutomationAudit TrailPhreesia✖ Generic✅ Yes✖ Limited✅ YesDeepScribe✖ Focused on notes✖ No✖ No✖ NoAmbient✖ Generic✅ Partial✖ No✖ NoNabla✖ Primary care-focused✖ No✖ No✖ NoHoney Health✅ Built for ortho✅ Native✅ Yes✅ Yes
Honey Health stands out by offering agentic AI that actually completes tasks — not just surfaces suggestions.
Why Honey Health Leads for Orthopedic Intake
Honey Health’s AI is built for specialty workflows. For intake, this includes:
- Automated processing of orthopedic-specific forms (KOOS, ASES, etc.)
- Real-time form routing and follow-up task creation
- EHR-native writeback (no toggling to external systems)
- Custom agent deployment per clinic role (e.g., Intake Agent, Clearance Agent)
- Built-in escalation for exceptions or missing info
Clinics using Honey Health report:
- 60–80% reduction in manual intake entry
- 25% improvement in pre-op documentation completion
- Fewer delays in surgical clearance
Conclusion: Choose AI That Understands Ortho
Not all AI platforms are built equally. When it comes to intake in orthopedics, look for:
✅ Contextual understanding of specialty workflows
✅ Full EHR integration (no extra dashboards)
✅ End-to-end automation (not just OCR)
✅ Security and transparency baked in
The best AI platform for automating intake paperwork isn’t just one that reads your forms — it’s one that acts on them.
Honey Health delivers the full package, helping orthopedic practices scale efficiency, reduce errors, and get patients to care faster.
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