FEATURE
20 Tips for Using an AI Virtual Scribe to Document Office Visits
An AI scribe can reduce your documentation time. Here's how to get the most out of this new technology.
Fam Pract Manag. 2025;32(2):5-8
Author disclosures: No relevant financial relationships.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential to help family physicians in myriad ways going forward.1 One key way is in the form of AI virtual scribes — a time-saving technology broadly available through multiple vendors. Using a device such as a smartphone, the AI scribe program records the doctor-patient conversation during a medical visit and transcribes it into a structured note in the EHR, which the doctor can then review and finalize. Family physicians can use AI scribes in the office, emergency department, or inpatient setting to reduce their documentation burden, relieving a major cause of burnout and frustration.2
The following tips can make the process of using an AI scribe smoother and more comfortable.
KEY POINTS
Before implementing an AI scribe, inform your staff and patients of the change and encourage them to ask questions about it.
Obtain verbal or written patient consent prior to using the AI scribe. Creating a smartphrase in your EHR allows you to quickly document the patient's verbal consent prior to starting the AI tool.
AI programs can produce errors (“hallucinations”) so be sure to review AI-generated notes for accuracy before signing off on them.
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