Artificial intelligence (AI) scribes can help reduce the administrative task burden but can’t replace the work of a doctor and must be used with caution, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said AI scribes can help automate parts of clinical note taking. For example, they can convert conversations into notes, which can be incorporated into health records, and given to patients to help them remember and follow the advice.
She said the tools also allow doctors to focus on the patient instead of their computer during a consult.
“However, AI scribes need to be used with caution as it is an emerging technology and there are risks.”
She said patients must be informed and provide consent for them to be used during a consultation, and AI tools must comply with Australian laws for safe data collection and storage.
