Some general practitioners are starting to make use of AI tools to cut down on administrative paperwork, but the use of AI Scribe to record and transcribe arguably the most intimate of conversations between patients and their doctors are raising serious privacy questions.
Instead of making notes, the doctor uses AI to record the conversation, transcribe it and summarize treatment plans.
NL Privacy Commissioner Kerry Hatfield says AI Scribe is quickly being picked up by health care professionals across the country.
NL Privacy Commissioner, Kerry Hatfield (OIPC)
She warns there are privacy concerns, and she and her colleagues across Canada are keeping a close eye on how its used, and how the data is collected.
“We should be skeptical,” says Hatfield “when our voice is being recorded, our image is being captured, our information is being collected because that data is very valuable and it can impact us, especially when it gets in the wrong hands. I acknowledge that the fear with AI Scribe is that it can make mistakes.”
She says patients have the right to say no to its use if they have any concerns or objections.
