Audiology Australia (AudA) has released a position statement providing guidance to audiologists on use of artificial intelligence (AI) scribes in audiology practice including the need to take a co-pilot role and check accuracy.
The six-page resource, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes in Audiology Practice dated September 2024, was launched in October to support decision-making during integration of the technology into practice.
AudA cautions that while AI scribes can significantly reduce the manual work required for documentation, they cannot fully replace the audiologist’s role in ensuring accuracy of records. Mistakes made by AI scribes can compromise quality and safety of client care if not carefully corrected so practitioners should review all AI-generated outputs to ensure accuracy of content and recommendations, the statement advises.
“It remains the responsibility of the audiologist to carefully review and verify the information generated by the AI scribe to ensure that the client’s health record is both accurate and complete,” the statement says. “Good quality systems will require the clinician to review, edit and approve AI developed content before saving it to the digital health records.”
Improve workflows, reduce burnout
The statement covers key features, functions and use, potential benefits, challenges and risks, professional practice and ethical AI. A checklist advises what to consider before using the scribes.
“AI scribes hold the promise of improving clinical workflows in audiology but careful consideration is essential,” the guide says. “Use in clinical documentation has the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare including audiological practice.
“The use of AI in this context must adhere to a range of legislative and professional practice requirements to ensure patient/client safety and appropriate use.”
Successful implementation requires careful consideration of associated risks, a thorough evaluation of their capabilities, and strict adherence to regulatory requirements.
“Audiology Australia does not endorse any specific AI scribe product,” it adds. “Instead, we advise audiologists and audiology practices to thoroughly evaluate potential tools to ensure they meet clinical needs, comply with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, and uphold the highest standards of client care.”
The scribes automatically document patient/client encounters through speech-to-text conversion by assisting in preparing detailed clinical notes, treatment summaries, discharge notes, and GP letters, the statement advises. They generally use a combination of speech recognition (SpR) and natural language processing (NLP) to deliver their functionality.
“AI scribes operate by listening to and processing conversations between healthcare providers and patients/clients during consultations, generating clinical notes in real time,” it states. “The software typically should not store the audio data; however, some AI scribes do store recordings.”
Key functions and features
These include real-time transcription, automated documentation formats suitable for electronic health records, and contextual understanding where, unlike simple transcription services, AI-driven scribes can understand medical terminology, context, and structure of clinical encounters.
“Some advanced AI-driven scribes include decision support which may integrate with clinical decision support systems, providing recommendations or alerts based on the information being documented, such as suggesting relevant diagnostic tests or reminding clinicians of best practice guidelines,” the statement adds.
Potential benefits include enhanced client interaction enabling audiologists to spend more time on patient care than administration, improved accuracy reducing risk of errors from manual notetaking, and consistency in documentation. They can also help prevent clinician burnout by reducing administrative burden.
Challenges and risks
The statement notes challenges and risks include clinical accuracy, data privacy and security, consent, regulatory compliance and impact on clinical workflow.
It notes that AI scribes are in their infancy so still prone to errors, may filter out relevant information by misinterpreting speech, not understanding the nuance in conversation, misunderstanding accents or jargon, and incorrectly categorising data.
“These mistakes can compromise the quality and safety of client care if not carefully corrected by the audiologist,” the statement advises. “Thus, it is paramount that audiologists take a co-pilot approach when utilising AI scribes; that is, all data generated by the AI product must be revised and approved by a trained audiologist before committing the data (to) client notes or using the information to inform client care.”
Additionally, the statement advises audiologists to ensure software complies with data protection laws and that data collected is securely encrypted and stored. They should check legislation around listening devices and recording when choosing a scribe to ensure compliance and should always advise their client they are using an AI scribe.
Apart from complying with regulations and legislation, AI ethics principles to guide processes and behaviour include that the AI must generate net-benefits, do no-harm, protect privacy, be fair, transparent and explainable, contestable and accountable.
A checklist which advises what to consider before use suggests ensuring that indemnity insurance is not adversely impacted and that client safety is prioritised.
It advises ensuring use aligns with professional practice guidelines and the Code of Conduct for audiologists and audiometrists and to undergo appropriate training in use of the product.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Scribes in Audiology Practice is downloadable from the AudA website.
