Over 440 healthcare professionals in Nova Scotia have adopted artificial intelligence technology to document patient consultations since the launch of a trial program in June, as disclosed by the Department of Health and Wellness.
The initiative, spearheaded by Canada Health Infoway, offers complimentary one-year licenses to eligible primary care practitioners nationwide for AI documentation tools. These tools enable healthcare providers to transcribe patient interactions into real-time summaries for both medical professionals and patients.
Nova Scotia is allotted a total of 500 funded licenses under this program.
Doctors Nova Scotia President, Shelly McNeil, expressed strong support for innovative technologies like AI scribe that improve patient care quality and help physicians achieve a better work-life balance.
Dr. Ajantha Jayabarathan, a family doctor in Halifax, noted that typically she spent at least five minutes after each patient visit to complete notes. However, utilizing the Mika AI scribe has significantly reduced this time, enabling her to transition to other tasks swiftly.
The Mika AI scribe is the exclusive AI transcription tool authorized for use by healthcare professionals and clinics within Nova Scotia Health.
Dr. Jayabarathan mentioned that her patients now experience shorter wait times, appreciating the efficiency brought by the AI tool in aiding her consultations. She also commended the AI transcription accuracy but acknowledged the need for manual editing before integrating the notes into electronic medical records.
As outlined in Nova Scotia’s policy guidance on AI scribe, clinicians are required to thoroughly review and edit the transcribed outputs to ensure precision, with patients retaining the right to withdraw consent at any point.
‘Relatively safe’ for now
Abhi Kalra, Infoway’s executive vice-president of connected care, stated in an interview that the initial survey results have been positive, with no reported concerns raised regarding the AI scribe technology.
According to Infoway, the selection of the nine AI scribe technology vendors in the national program was based on various criteria, including data security practices and alignment with national standards. Notably, all selected vendors are Canadian-based.
Frank Rudzicz, a computer science professor at Dalhousie University with expertise in Ontario’s AI scribe technology, expressed confidence in the technology’s safety, particularly in transcribing conversations. However, he cautioned about potential challenges if the AI tool is involved in decision-making processes.
He emphasized the importance, as per Nova Scotia Health’s program policy, of removing AI scribe notes from the tool within seven days. Rudzicz highlighted the significance of minimizing patient data storage for privacy protection, though he noted a potential downside in case of error identification without access to original data.
Rudzicz suggested that patients should have the option to request more details about the data processing and storage locations to make informed decisions while granting consent.
“This collaborative approach is beneficial, ensuring active involvement from patients and citizens,” Rudzicz remarked.
“Rather than being mere data subjects, we should be engaged participants in these discussions.”
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