Melbourne psychiatrist refuses new patients who don’t consent to AI note-taking

A Melbourne psychiatrist has refused new patients unless they agree to allow her to use an AI scribe to transcribe the conversations in their sessions. AI-driven note taking tools are becoming popular within the medical industry – with two in five general practitioners now using such scribes , according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). But there have also been concerns about the security of the data and how it might be used by the AI companies, along with the accuracy of the transcriptions. In a registration form seen by Guardian Australia, psychiatrist Dr Hemlata Ranga outlined the requirement to potential patients. “I consent for use of AI transcription (such as Heidi health AI/ Microsoft) software to assist with notes taking during the appointments, for preparation of clinical letters, reports, and other clinical documents to assist in my clinical care,” the form says. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email The patient is told if they do not wish AI to be used they will “need to arrange [their] regular doctor/ referring doctor to refer [them] to a different service provider”. The uptake of AI scribes has doubled in 12 months, the RACGP says, and comes amid increased demand for mental health services . But one patient, who asked to remain anonymous, who was referred to Ranga told Guardian Australia they objected to AI being used in their sessions. …