Love them or loathe them, AI scribes are here to stay. The institute has published a new document designed to guide anyone planning on using them.
The Australasian Institute of Digital Health has responded to heightened scrutiny on AI scribes by releasing a new comprehensive guide aimed at clinicians, practice managers and digital health leaders.
The document – Implementation of AI scribes in healthcare workflows – comes in the wake of SA Health confirming its ban on the use of open-source AI scribes in its public hospitals, as reported by Haematology Republic’s sister publication HSD.
Also, last month the UK’s National Health System dropped a bomb on the AI scribe sector in the UK by issuing a national priority notification which effectively classifies all 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,” said AIDH CEO Anja Nikolic.
“But the technology is not without its challenges.
“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 healthcare – 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.”
The AIDH resource outlines key considerations for healthcare organisations, from assessing organisational readiness and selecting appropriate vendors, to ensuring privacy compliance and obtaining informed patient consent.
It also addresses the nuances of integrating AI scribes into clinical workflows, including how speech patterns, consultation dynamics and documentation review processes may need to evolve.
The resource also includes a convenient checklist to support healthcare providers in the implementation or review of their AI scribes.
“This resource is timely and essential – not just for early adopters, but for any healthcare provider looking to modernise their documentation processes responsibly,” Ms 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 full information sheet is now available via the AIDH website.
