i-scribe by Akuru will partner with the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO), in a move that reflects growing momentum behind AI-powered clinical documentation tools in specialist practice.
The collaboration will focus on member education, workflow innovation, and the safe adoption of artificial intelligence in ophthalmology, a specialty where documentation demands are both high-volume and highly detailed.
Built specifically for specialist workflows, i-scribe is an “ambient AI scribe” that listens to consultations and automatically generates structured clinical notes, referral letters, and patient summaries in real time. The platform is now used by one in three Australian ophthalmologists and integrates with major practice systems including Genie, Gentu, Shexie, Best Practice VIP.net, and Civica Dox.
The partnership will officially launch at the upcoming ASO Skills Expo, where Dr Chew will present a session titled Is this AI right for me? Evaluating safety and risk in clinical AI adoption
The partnership comes amid increasing international evidence supporting the role of AI scribes in reducing administrative burden and improving clinician efficiency. A recent multisite study published in JAMA involving more than 8,500 clinicians found AI scribe adoption was associated with significantly reduced documentation time and modest increases in patient throughput.1
For ophthalmologists, where consultations often involve complex imaging, measurements, treatment planning, and medico-legal documentation, the impact can be substantial.2-3
“It’s about offering more patient-centred care,” said Dr Jamie Chew, Ophthalmologist and Co-Founder of i-scribe. “When clinicians are not focused on typing during consultations, they can spend more time listening, communicating, and engaging with patients.”
Enhancing Patient Understanding
Beyond improving workflow efficiency, AI-generated documentation may also help address patient understanding and continuity of care. i-scribe can generate patient-friendly summaries following consultations, allowing patients and families to revisit key information after appointments, which can be particularly valuable in outreach and regional settings where follow-up care may involve multiple providers.
Research has long shown that patients retain only a fraction of medical information discussed during consultations.2 More recent ophthalmic research has similarly highlighted the importance of clear, accessible patient communication, particularly for chronic retinal disease management.3
Addressing Responsible AI Adoption
Importantly, the ASO collaboration will also focus on education around responsible AI implementation in healthcare. While ambient AI documentation tools offer significant workflow advantages, experts continue to stress the importance of clinician oversight and review to maintain accuracy, quality, and patient safety.
Akuru said its clinician-led development model has been central to i-scribe’s adoption in ophthalmology. Several practising ophthalmologists sit within the company’s leadership team, and the platform has been trained around specialty-specific terminology and workflows.
The partnership will officially launch at the upcoming ASO Skills Expo, where Dr Chew will present a session titled Is this AI right for me? Evaluating safety and risk in clinical AI adoption.
Find out more about the ASO Skills Expo here and about i-scribe here.
References
- Rotenstein LS, Holmgren AJ, Thombley R, et al. Changes in clinician time expenditure and visit quantity with adoption of artificial intelligence– powered scribes: A multisite study. JAMA. 2026;335(16):1408–1417. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.2253.
- Kessels RP. Patients’ memory for medical information. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2003;96(5):219–222. doi:10.1177/014107680309600504.
- Clinton S, Hoad G, Bloomfi eld P, et al. Comparing views of patients and eye care professionals on the information provided on age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular oedema. Eye. 2024. doi:10.1038/s41433-024-02939-z.
