AI Note-taking Software FAQs

Queensway Carleton Hospital is piloting artificial intelligence (“AI”) scribe solutions that allow physicians to focus more on care patient needs.

AI Scribe FAQ

How does AI Note-taking software work?

Using generative AI, these scribes securely record clinician-patient conversations during in-person appointments. After the visit, the conversation is turned into a draft medical note for the physician to review and approve. Patients will continue to be able to view their visit notes through the patient portal.

What are the benefits of using this technology?

Physicians spend around 10 hours each week on administrative tasks, such as charting after patient appointments. Using an AI Scribe reduces the time they spend on manual documentation, freeing up more time to interact with patients.

 

Drafting clinical notes using an AI scribe will also help ensure that no health information communicated to physicians gets overlooked.

What am I consenting to?

Your consent allows the provider to record the conversation, which gets analyzed by the AI Scribe and converted into a draft clinical note. This draft note is reviewed by a physician before being finalized and added to your electronic health record. Should you have concerns with the information, you can request a review.

Where is the recording temporarily stored and for how long?

By default, Dragon Copilot data is stored on Microsoft servers and deleted after 90 days. The AI tool also takes a temporary recording, which is deleted by physicians after it is converted into a note.

Do I need to consent to this?

Your physician will only use the AI Scribe to record your appointment if you provide explicit consent. It is your choice. You do not need to agree to use the AI scribe, and the quality of care you receive will not be impacted by this decision.


If you provide your consent, your physician will use the AI scribe for conversations related to your care and will ask for your consent again for future visits.

What if I change my mind?

Your physician can stop the AI Scribe from recording the conversation at any time and delete the recording. If you wish to withdraw your consent after your appointment, please contact privacy@qch.on.ca.

Is my health information secure?

Technology organizations are obligated to keep your information secure through technical and organizational measures that protect against inappropriate use and disclosure. QCH has reviewed the privacy practices of the AI companies to ensure your information is secure.


Audio data from the recording and other identifiable health data are retained for up to 90 days before being destroyed or anonymized. However, once data has been transformed into a clinical note, you can review the note from your appointment via the patient portal.

 

What are the potential risks?

Your personal health information is protected by law, but there are always some risks with using AI. These include documentation inaccuracies, biases, or misuse of data.


Your physician will review the AI-generated notes for accuracy before finalizing them to ensure there are no inaccuracies in your medical note, and we have put safeguards in place to prevent against misuse.

Why is AI used in health care?

Like other sectors, there are many benefits to using AI in healthcare. Using AI can help streamline workflows, improve access to and quality of care, and reduce administrative burdens and wait times. It also allows staff to focus more on delivery or supporting patient care, by reducing time spent on manual tasks.

Is there a plan to expand the use of AI at QCH in the future?

We have been carefully exploring the role AI can play in supporting clinical care. We appreciate that documentation remains a significant contributor to physician workload and emerging AI tools have the potential to improve efficiency, reduce burnout, and enhance patient interaction.