Dr Talat Uppal is a gynaecologist, Director of Women’s Health Road and has pioneered Australia’s first AUB Hub, she is an ambassador for Heidi Health (AI Scribe) & Remie Australia (Remote healthcare reception).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping Australian healthcare, with AI-powered note-taking tools, or ‘scribes,’ emerging as a transformative solution for clinical documentation. Digital scribes are designed to streamline patient care pathways by transcribing clinical notes and creating documents such as GP letters, care plans, and patient information leaflets. This minimises the manual burden on clinicians and practice reception staff, helps transfer detailed patient data seamlessly between specialists, and enables more cohesive care planning.

This article delves into the role of AI scribes in women’s health, focusing on the test case implementation at my practice, Women’s Health Road in New South Whales. I will discuss the benefits and challenges we encountered and provide a glimpse into the future of AI in healthcare. The discussion blends firsthand experiences, practical insights, and broader industry perspectives.

The System: From Implementation to Innovation

AI scribes have been used in clinical practice at our women’s health service for a just under a year now, acting as a virtual ‘resident,’ taking notes in real time, transcribing patient consultations, and integrating into cloud-based practice management systems (PMS) to facilitate same-day communication with General Practitioners.

One of the standout features of this system is its intuitive design. The scribe is context-aware, meaning it can recognise and adapt to some of the specific needs of various clinical situations.

We have developed both initial and follow-up templates, for patients with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) that specifically capture details relating to iron deficiency and anaemia, while also incorporating information from the Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Standard. Our multidisciplinary team has tailored the system to address the unique needs of women’s health. For example, we integrated the FIGO Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) terminology, enabling the AI scribe to document patient descriptions of their periods in a standardised manner. This standardisation supports AUB-based research and audits.

Our practice has an integrated digital system that is managed by a dedicated IT team with medical centre expertise, who work alongside our skilled administrative team. As Australia’s first AUB hub, we operate a hybrid reception with two remote secretaries, onsite ultrasound services, and patient operative pathways. Additionally, we host a CRC-funded digital health intern from the University of Sydney who is mapping our digitally enhanced multidisciplinary service as part of their research.

Initially, the AI scribe functioned as a standalone web tool. However, it has since been integrated into our PMS, allowing us to launch the embedded AI technology directly from our clinical dashboard, transforming consultations into templated notes for review. It is important to note that occasional technical issues still occur, such as software connection glitches; however, they are infrequent.

To prepare our practice for the future, we implemented a practice management system (PMS) with Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) capability and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine (SNOMED) terminology coding. FHIR is a transformative standard that addresses some of the limitations of previous HL7 standards and leverages modern web technologies, making it easier to implement in diverse healthcare settings. It aims to standardise and simplify the exchange of electronic health data across systems. This enhances patient care by supporting interoperability.

RANZCOG is part of Sparked Au community, a dynamic FHIR implementation community led by CSIRO’s Australian eHealth Research Centre. This initiative, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Australian Digital Health Agency, and HL7 Australia, has provided me with invaluable learning experiences.

Training and Costs

Training our clinicians and administrative staff on the AI system posed initial challenges, particularly in navigating and creating history and examination templates, as well as ensuring accuracy across diverse patient backgrounds. However, the tool’s structured format made it easier to correct errors and to train the AI over time.

The financial cost of deploying AI scribes can be prohibitive for some practices, although basic models are available for free or at minimal cost. Training remains an ongoing process, as we continually refine the system’s performance to meet our team’s evolving needs. I believe that the AI scribe will always be a work in progress, as we strive to keep pace with its growing capabilities while continuing to improve the accuracy and outputs of the software.

Data Security and Patient Consent

Data security is a critical concern. Our AI scribe technology meets stringent data security standards, including GDPR, APP (Australian Privacy Principles), ISO27001, SOC2, and HIPAA compliance. Patient data is stored exclusively within Australia, maintaining full alignment with medical board codes and AHPRA regulations to ensure Australian clinicians retain oversight and accountability. Before starting this journey, we consulted our Medical Defence Organisation (MDO) to seek advice on informed patient consent.

We use a consent form that details our privacy practices and the role of the AI scribe. Information is also readily available in our reception area, in each clinician’s room via a QR code, and on our website. Patients can opt out of using the AI scribe or provide feedback on their experience at any time

Workflow Changes: A More Efficient Model of Care

Since integrating the AI scribe, our workflow has become more streamlined. Although appointment durations have not significantly shortened, the AI scribe has freed up more time for holistic care, allowing clinicians to focus on meaningful patient interactions—the human aspect of medicine—rather than administrative tasks.

Women’s Health Road Reception Desk

Medical students, observers, and international medical graduates (IMGs) at our practice have expressed that AI scribes enhance their training by reducing the manual burden of note-taking while improving overall accuracy. Ultimately clinicians remain responsible for the consult notes, reviewing each line before finalising the medical records.

The multilingual capabilities of the AI scribe (currently available in 26 languages) have also been invaluable in supporting our diverse patient community—an essential feature in multicultural Australia.

We integrate both private services and not-for-profit work for patients with AUB, and our investment in a sophisticated digital ecosystem has allowed us to expand our capacity to care for vulnerable patients. AI scribes operate in a rapidly evolving space, which presents unique ethical and logistical challenges. To ensure the system’s safety, we adhere to strict clinical governance structures, including continuous monitoring and quality improvement initiatives. All outputs from the AI scribe undergo human oversight, with clinicians, including myself, reviewing each note for accuracy.

The introduction of AI scribes has brought numerous benefits, chief among them being the reduction of the administrative burden on clinicians. With less time spent on documentation, clinicians can focus on providing patient-centred care, fostering better patient engagement, and reducing the risk of clinician burnout.

The Future of AI Scribes in Women’s Health

AI scribes are an essential part of the future of healthcare in Australia, particularly in women’s health. As the technology continues to evolve, it will enable more personalised care, improve clinical efficiency, and help address the health inequities faced by priority populations. For clinicians, the challenge will be to strike a balance between leveraging these advanced tools and maintaining the human touch that remains central to healthcare.

In conclusion, AI scribes are not just a solution to administrative inefficiencies—they are transforming how we deliver care, making healthcare more connected, equitable, and patient-centred. For women’s health, in particular, the benefits of these tools are only beginning to unfold.