AI scribes resource released amid heightened scrutiny

Amid scrutiny around AI scribes in health care, the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) has released an information sheet — ‘Implementation of AI scribes in healthcare workflows’ — that is designed to be a comprehensive guide for clinicians, practice managers and digital health leaders.

AIDH points to examples such as SA Health which, citing concerns around data privacy and the need for further risk evaluation, confirmed a ban earlier this year on the use of open-source AI scribes in public hospitals. Also, there was the recent announcement in the UK of the NHS classification of AI scribes as medical devices.

“With increasing pressure on clinicians to manage administrative tasks, AI scribes offer a potential solution to reduce documentation burden and improve patient engagement. But the technology is not without its challenges,” AIDH CEO Anja Nikolic said.

“The AIDH guide makes clear that AI scribes are not replacements for clinical judgement — they are tools that must be implemented thoughtfully, with human oversight and strong governance.

“Artificial intelligence is not a distant concept in health care — it’s here and has great potential in improving how clinicians work. But, as with any new technology, the implementation of AI scribes requires appropriate approaches to safety, governance and clinical responsibility.”

Included in the resource are key considerations for healthcare organisations that range from assessing organisational readiness and selecting appropriate vendors, to ensuring privacy compliance and obtaining informed patient consent. The nuances of integrating AI scribes into clinical workflows, including how speech patterns, consultation dynamics and documentation review processes may need to evolve, are also addressed.

To support healthcare providers in the implementation or review of their AI scribes, the resource also includes a checklist. “This resource is timely and essential — not just for early adopters, but for any healthcare provider looking to modernise their documentation processes responsibly,” Nikolic said.

“The AIDH AI scribes information sheet is an important asset for decision-making and implementation of innovative digital tools in our health sector.”

The resource is available here, via the AIDH website.

Image credit: iStock.com/LOUISE BEAUMONT