AI Scribes: Efficiency for Whom?

Unresolved safety, privacy, and regulatory concerns may limit benefits of AI scribes for physicians and patients.

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AI scribes are being adopted in US healthcare to reduce documentation burden, but their implementation lacks empirical evaluation.
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Uncorrected inaccuracies in AI-generated notes can compromise safety, therapeutic efficacy, trust, and health equity.
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AI scribes may produce excessive detail and fail to capture nuances of human communication, raising concerns about bias.
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Privacy risks are heightened due to cloud storage and third-party access to patient conversations, often without patient awareness.
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The authors advocate for regulatory approval, performance metrics, and oversight to ensure AI scribes align with healthcare goals.

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