AI-assisted Medical Scribes at Spectrum Health

AI-assisted Medical Scribes at Spectrum Health

Most clinicians at Spectrum are now using medical scribe programs to speed up documentation.

What is it?

Computer software that writes medical documentation automatically from our visit. The current tools that we are using are Tali and Autoscribe, although there are others as well.

How does it work? Is it accurate?

The computer will dictate our conversation during our appointment and converts the text of that dictation into a medical note automatically using generative AI. We are still responsible to edit and ensure accuracy of all documentation that is put into your medical record.

Is it secure?

It meets the HIPAA healthcare privacy requirements in Canada, and all servers are in Canada. These are the same regulations that our health record system is required to meet. Any dictation or audio is deleted shortly after the medical documentation is generated.

What are the advantages?

This technology helps address a substantial challenge of being a physician today, endless documentation. It alleviates burnout and gives us back some time to do other proactive work.

Benefits for you:

• We can pay more attention to listening and examining during your visit rather than simultaneously needing to type/record.
• In some cases, we can use the tool to generate a helpful summary of our visit for you and the action plan discussed. We know it is often hard to remember everything that your doctor says in a visit.
• The quality of the documentation in your chart is perhaps more complete using the scribe.
• It may free up time for your physician to look after other important aspects of your care.

Can I decline the use of this technology?

Yes, you may decline, and we will provide care as we always have. However, we will not be able to offer you the above advantages without it. We expect these programs will become standard practice soon.

Thank-you for allowing us to implement this significant advance in your care!