Done by 5PM: How a Rural Colorado Health System Is Redefining Provider Wellbeing and Access with AI
Heidi Team
12 December 2025•6 min read
It reduces the brain drain dramatically. I’m usually done and ready to leave by 5:00. It’s a win for everyone—providers, patients, and the organization. We’re giving time back to clinicians while improving care for our community."
Laticia Hollingsworth, PA-C
Physician Assistant at San Luis Valley Health
At a glance
Clinic: San Luis Valley Health Medical Center (SLVRMC)
Location: Alamosa, Colorado
Specialty: Family medicine and multi-specialty care
Key outcomes
18k sessions and transcribed since launch (~ of documentation captured).
Clinicians reporting lower cognitive load and higher note quality.
Laticia Hollingsworth, the first adopter and #1 Heidi user, increased patient access by moving from 30-minute to 20-minute appointments.
Read on if:
Documentation backlogs are spilling into evenings and weekends, contributing to burnout from the mental load and repetitive charting. Clinicians feel growing frustration with dictation tools that sound unprofessional, and many still face barriers to adoption due to manual EMR workflows.
Background
San Luis Valley Health (SLVRMC) serves communities across southern Colorado and northern New Mexico—a vast, rural region where access to care and clinician bandwidth are constant challenges.
With a mix of family medicine, specialty clinics, and hospital-based services, SLVRMC clinicians manage complex caseloads that demand both efficiency and empathy.
“We’re a rural community, so access matters. The less time we spend documenting, the more patients we can see and the more care we can provide.” — Laticia Hollingsworth
Before adopting Heidi, clinicians at SLVRMC relied on a combination of typing and dictation tools that were time-consuming and cognitively draining.
Challenges
1. Heavy documentation burden and burnout
Providers often stayed late finishing notes, balancing patient care with administrative load.
“Most of the time, I typed notes right after the patient left. But if I got behind, I’d jot things down and do it at the end of the day. That’s not always accurate.”
2. Poor-quality dictation options
SLVRMC trialed DAX before Heidi, but the results were disappointing.
“It made me sound like a kindergartner. It really didn’t make us sound intelligent, and it was expensive.”
3. Cognitive fatigue and inefficiency
Without automation, clinicians carried a heavy mental load, remembering patient details hours later.
“That cognitive burden is so much less with Heidi. I don’t have to remember and then dictate it later. It’s all there.”
Solution: SLVRMC x Heidi Partnership
In early 2024, San Luis Valley Health began exploring AI documentation tools to improve provider satisfaction and reduce burnout. After a clinician-led trial of Heidi’s free version, the leadership team approved a wider rollout.
Laticia Hollingsworth, PA-C, became one of the first users at SLVRMC and quickly emerged as the clinic’s top user and internal champion, helping to train others and refine workflows for the organization.
“We tested everything—DAX, other AI scribes—but Heidi was the one that worked. It sounded professional, it was affordable, and it fit right into how we already practiced.”
Implementation
The SLVRMC team adopted Heidi with minimal onboarding, integrating it into daily workflows across primary and specialty care.
Why Heidi fit SLVRMC
Created intelligent, structured notes that sounded professional
Offered affordability and ease of use, especially compared to large-scale dictation tools
Required no major workflow overhaul, clinicians could use Heidi on personal or clinic phones
How SLVRMC clinicians use Heidi
Before the session: Laticia opens Heidi on a dedicated phone, records a short preface summarizing the reason for the visit.
During the session: The phone sits quietly on the counter as Heidi listens in, capturing key clinical dialogue.
After the session: On the walk back to her office, Laticia dictates exam details and any diagnostic impressions. She then reviews and pastes the structured note directly into MEDITECH Expanse.
“I carry a phone in airplane mode, use Heidi to capture the visit, and then dictate the exam on the way back to my office. It’s that simple.”
Impact
1. Consistent same-day documentation
Clinicians now complete documentation during or immediately after visits, without staying late.
“I just spent an hour doing notes this morning—that was a day and a half worth of patients. I finished it all while watching TV.”
2. Expanded patient access
By saving time per encounter, Laticia shifted from 30-minute to 20-minute appointments, allowing more patients to be seen without sacrificing care quality.
“I switched to 20-minute appointments instead of 30—and I’ve definitely added more access for patients.”
3. Cognitive relief and improved wellbeing
“The brain drain is dramatically reduced. I’m done by 5:00 now. That never used to happen.”
4. Professional, accurate documentation
“Heidi creates notes that sound intelligent and polished—it reflects how we actually practice.”
“It’s become a part of our day-to-day. For those using it, it’s life-changing.”
Results at a glance
Category
Before Heidi
After Heidi
Average appointment length
30 minutes
20 minutes
End-of-day documentation
1-2 hours
Completed during work day
Note quality
Inconsistent
Structured, professional
Cognitive Load
High
Significantly reduced
Patient access
Limited
Increased throughput
Closing
San Luis Valley Health’s partnership with Heidi has become a model for how rural and regional health systems can harness AI to improve both clinician wellbeing and patient access.
By empowering clinicians to document in real time, SLVRMC has reduced after-hours work, improved accuracy, and increased appointment availability—all without disrupting existing workflows or adding administrative complexity.
“You just need to try it. Spend half a day—it will change your life.”
