As the healthcare industry continues to embrace the wonders of artificial intelligence, the emergence of AI scribes stands out as a particularly transformative development. These advanced systems promise to streamline the often cumbersome task of medical documentation, but with so many options on the market, choosing the right one can be daunting. In this guide, we will delve into the crucial aspects to consider when selecting the best AI scribe for your medical practice.

Evaluating Price, Availability, and Commitment

Exploring the world of medical AI scribes can be an enlightening journey, especially when you dive in hands-on. Among the plethora of options available, apps like Chartnote, Freed, and Scriberry stand out for their user-friendly, freemium model. These platforms allow healthcare professionals to experiment with AI Scribe sessions without the need for immediate payment, offering an accessible entry point into the AI documentation realm.

On the other end of the spectrum lies DAX from Nuance, a solution tailored more towards enterprise-level healthcare systems. Its advanced features come with a higher price tag, making it less accessible to individual clinicians or smaller practices.

For those seeking a middle ground, options like Suki, Augmedix, and DeepScribe offer a balance of affordability and functionality. These services, however, require navigating through sales processes and contracts, which might be a minor hurdle for some.

What is a Medical AI Scribe and How Does It Work?

An AI Scribe, in the context of healthcare, is an artificial intelligence system designed to ease the administrative burden on clinicians by automating the process of clinical documentation. The primary function of an AI Scribe is to listen to the verbal interaction between a healthcare provider and their patient during a clinical encounter and then accurately transcribe the conversation into a structured clinical note. This note can then be reviewed and, if necessary, edited by the provider before being added to the patient’s electronic health record (EHR).

The core functionality of these AI scribes is largely uniform across the board. They operate by capturing audio during patient visits, which is then transcribed using speech recognition technology. Subsequently, this transcript is processed by a large language model (LLM), such as ChatGPT or other AI models developed by companies like OpenAI, Google, or Meta’s LLaMa.

What Should I Look For? Key Considerations

When evaluating an AI scribe, the primary focus should be on the quality and utility of the clinical note it generates. Important features to consider include the number of notes you can create monthly and the limits on audio recording length. Remember, consultation times can vary widely across specialties – a family physician might have 15-minute sessions, whereas a psychiatrist could have appointments lasting 90 minutes.

Another crucial aspect is the flexibility of the platform in creating custom templates and fine-tuning output to suit specific needs. For instance, a general practitioner might need a standard progress note, while specialists may require more detailed formats like History & Physical (H&P) notes, and an emergency department physician might prefer notes with specialized sections like Medical Decision Making (MDM).

Beyond the Basics in Choosing a Medical AI Scribe

Other features worth exploring include:

• Language Support: Particularly important if you serve non-English-speaking patients.
• Billing and Coding Support: Look for capabilities in assisting with ICD-10 and CPT codes.
• Recording Device Compatibility: Whether the platform supports browser or mobile device recording can be pivotal depending on your work environment.
• Telehealth Compatibility: Check if the system integrates with your preferred videoconferencing tools and how it handles phone visits.
• Workflow Adaptability: The ability to pause and resume recordings, or manage multiple patients’ recordings simultaneously.
• EHR Integration: This can be a game-changer, although it might require additional administrative setup. Some platforms, like Chartnote, bypass complex integrations through browser extensions for web-based EHRs. EHR integration facilitates the flow of patient information into the AI Scribe, and push the note into the EHR.

If you’re looking at these platforms from an administrative perspective, consider whether you can set up a Team account with unified billing and admin tools for user management.

Last but certainly not least, verify the possibility of signing a HIPAA business associate agreement with the vendor. This is crucial as it ensures end-to-end encryption of your data and adherence to strict privacy policies, safeguarding the sensitive information you handle daily.

Embarking on the AI scribe journey requires careful consideration of these diverse aspects to find the perfect fit for your specific needs and practice style.

Additional Resources

The AI Scribe Requirements Template by Elion is designed to facilitate this selection process. Particularly helpful for healthcare organizations with multiple stake-holders.

Good luck with your vendor evaluation, and may you find the AI scribe that best fits your needs!

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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⚡️ – FREE Chartnote account: https://chartnote.com

🚀 – DOWNLOAD Chartnote Chrome Extension to use Chartnote on any web-based EHR:

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Google Play: https://bit.ly/3rrMYhk

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About Chartnote

Chartnote is revolutionizing medical documentation one note at a time by making generative AI, voice-recognition, and smart templates available to any clinician. We know first-hand that completing notes while treating patients is time-consuming and an epic challenge. Chartnote was developed as a complementary EHR solution to write your SOAP notes faster. Focus on what matters most. Sign up for a free account: chartnote.com