How AI Scribes Reduce Notetaking and Restore Connection

by Katiana Krawchenko

Doctors have always spent a lot of time taking notes during a patient visit. The introduction of Electronic Medical Records over the last decade or two has meant physicians must juggle between the patient and the computer. 

Enter Artificial Intelligence (AI) scribes. 

AI scribes use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to help doctors transcribe and summarize patient interactions in real time. While they don’t participate in the diagnosis or treatment process, AI scribes have the potential to reduce administrative burden by creating first drafts of patient charting for physicians to review, edit, and approve. As an added benefit, physicians can strengthen their connection with the patient, worrying less about typing notes throughout the visit. 

Already, physicians using the technology report saving 30 to 45 minutes per day on note-taking and improved interactions during patient visits without being distracted by a computer screen. 

Doctors Manitoba has new resources including an AI Scribe Hub and additional learning opportunities to help physicians adopt AI scribes into their practice, while realizing benefits including saving time on patient charting, improving note quality, and supporting better patient-physician communication.

Impact on Administrative Burden 

Now a Medical Lead for Reducing Administrative Burden, Dr. Alexis Botkin tried out an AI scribe in her clinical practice last year. 

“The impact was quite measurable, and the amount of time I spent with documentation decreased by about half with implementation of an AI scribe,” said Dr. Botkin. ​“So, it allows you to jot down a couple of quick notes and give your undivided attention to the patient, knowing that you can quickly have the AI device transcribe notations after the clinic.” 

Dr. Botkin noted how impressed she was that within seconds after asking the program to document counseling on discoid lupus, for example, she was able to use that as a jumping off point for conversation about a treatment plan. 

“It’s a huge time saver,” she explained. ​“The only thing is just to make sure that you review the note and make sure that everything that is documented actually took place in the visit.” 

Physician Responsibilities

As with the use of any technology, especially involved directly in patient care, it is imperative physicians make important considerations before using AI scribes. Using AI for charting does not change physicians’ duties to secure patient consent, preserve patient privacy, and maintain accurate records of patient interactions. 

Despite how far the tools have come, generative AI has limitations and risks that physicians must be aware of as part of their professional practice. Aside from privacy concerns, AI risks can include: 

• Misinterpreting the context or discussion. 
  
• Accessing and incorporating misleading, incorrect or outdated medical information. 
  
• “Hallucinating” by generating false information presented in a confident and convincing way. 
  
• Bias, as generative AI tools rely on information published elsewhere without the ability to identify potential biased, discriminating or stereotyping content. 
  
• A lack of regulation or standards for this rapidly evolving technology, which means it can be difficult to know whether a specific AI product meets the standards, ethics, accuracy, and performance you expect from other technologies in health care. 
  

Physicians are ultimately responsible for their documentation. If doctors are assisted in crafting patient notes, whether from AI or a human, they must review, edit and finalize all notes under their name.

New AI Scribe Learning Rebate 

“While our team has assembled resources to make it easier for physicians to get started with AI scribes, there’s still a lot to learn about this new technology and your professional obligations as a doctor,” explained Theresa Oswald, CEO of Doctors Manitoba. ​“Now, there’s a special AI Scribe Learning Rebate to recognize the self-directed time physicians spend on educating themselves and adjusting their practice.” 

The new AI Scribe Learning Rebate offers a one-time $500 rebate as part of physicians’ annual Continuing Professional Development rebate, and is available for any learning. completed in 2025 or 2026. Physicians can learn more and apply at Doc​tors​Man​i​to​ba​.ca/​A​I​r​ebate.

The AI Scribe Learning Rebate is available to members who have spent professional time learning about AI scribe products, professional obligations, and practice change in either the 2025 or 2026 calendar years. 

What’s included:

• $500 rebate to recognize the time spent learning about AI scribes. 
• $125 overhead supplement is available if the physician still contributed to overhead costs in their practice during the time spent on AI scribe learning.