Ambient AI Scribes: What Patients Should Know

An ambient scribe listens to or records a consultation, creates a transcript or summary, and generates draft notes. The clinician should review, correct and approve the final record.

When a scribe is active, your consultation audio passes through several stages:

1. 01

   Captured. A microphone or device in the room records the conversation.

2. 02

   Processed. The audio is sent to the supplier's systems, which may be hosted in cloud infrastructure managed by third parties. The audio is converted into text and a draft note is produced.

3. 03

   Reviewed. The clinician reads and corrects the draft. They are responsible for its accuracy.

4. 04

   Filed. The approved note enters your health record.

Each stage involves your health data. The clinic should know which supplier handles stages 1 to 3, where that supplier's systems are hosted, and what happens to your audio and transcript after the note is filed.

Before a well-governed clinic activates an ambient scribe, you should be told:

• that an AI tool is being used to listen and produce a draft note;
• that the draft will be reviewed and corrected by the clinician before it becomes part of your record;
• how long your audio or transcript is kept and when it is deleted;
• that you can refuse the tool, and that doing so will not affect your care.

If this explanation is not offered, you are entitled to ask for it.

The primary use of your data is drafting your consultation note.

Some suppliers also retain audio after the note is verified, use transcripts to train or improve their AI systems, or process data for other purposes. These are secondary uses.

If secondary use applies, the clinic should be able to tell you what is used, for what purpose, and on what legal basis. If the supplier's terms allow secondary use and the clinic has not reviewed those terms, this is a gap in its governance position.

You can ask for the scribe not to be used. A well-governed clinic will not:

• make your appointment shorter;
• suggest your care will be less thorough;
• express frustration or reluctance.

If you decline, the clinician records the note in the usual way.

AI tools can misrepresent what was said. A scribe may include a symptom you did not mention, omit something you did say, or misinterpret a word. The clinician is responsible for checking the draft before it enters your record.

If you later notice an inaccuracy in a letter, referral or record, you have the right to ask the clinic for a correction. Ask for the data protection contact or the practice manager.

• What is the name of the scribe tool?
• Is it approved by the clinic?
• Is the consultation being recorded, transcribed or summarised?
• Is the audio kept after the note is created?
• How long are transcripts and draft notes retained?
• Will the supplier use the data to train or improve models?
• Is this a professional or enterprise version with data protection terms, or a free consumer tool?
• Can I say no?
• Who checks the note before it enters my record?

• The clinic explains the tool before use.
• The clinician remains accountable for the final note.
• Patients have a clear way to object or ask questions.
• The clinic has privacy wording that mentions the tool.
• The clinic can explain supplier, retention and data handling.
• Staff use approved tools rather than personal apps or free consumer tools.

These are not proof of a problem. They are reasons to ask further questions.

• Staff cannot name the tool being used.
• The clinic cannot explain whether audio is retained after the note is filed.
• The privacy notice does not mention recording, transcription or AI where these tools are visibly used.
• A personal phone app or consumer tool appears to be in use for recording or transcription rather than a clinic-approved system.
• The patient is told the tool is mandatory without any explanation of alternatives.
• AI-generated notes or letters contain obvious factual errors.

General information about ambient scribes, not legal advice, clinical advice, or a judgement on any clinic.