Hospital Expands AI Scribe Use After Pilot Shows Clinicians Spend More Time With Patients
CHEO, a pediatric hospital in Ottawa, has doubled the number of clinicians using an AI scribe tool to 60 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The expansion follows a 2025 pilot program that demonstrated the technology reduces documentation burden and improves patient interactions.
Documentation consumes significant time in clinical workflows, contributing to clinician fatigue and burnout. The AI scribe records and transcribes patient appointments, allowing care providers to focus on families rather than paperwork.
Pilot Results
During the pilot, clinicians used the tool across outpatient psychiatry, mental health, complex care, and adolescent medicine departments. The scribe was deployed in over 1,400 appointments involving more than 1,000 patients.
A large majority of clinicians who participated wanted to continue using the tool. Children, youth, families, and caregivers provided positive feedback. One clinician said: "That presence feels different, and it matters to families. It changes the dynamic in a meaningful way."
Documentation became more timely and consistent, with less risk of omitting important clinical details.
Known Limitations
CHEO has identified cases where the tool falls short. Mental health visits involve subtle clinical nuances-such as a patient describing hallucinations-that the AI may not capture accurately.
Jennifer Gillert, director of digital health at CHEO, said the hospital is taking a careful approach. "Our focus is on safety, equity, and making sure this tool truly supports our teams and the families we serve," she said.
Approval Process
Every AI tool used at CHEO undergoes review through a human-centered process before deployment. Care decisions remain entirely with clinicians; the speech-to-text technology handles documentation only.
CHEO's expansion of the scribe was made possible through funding from the CHEO Research Institute and the Precision Child and Youth Mental Health Collaboratory, supported by community donors to the CHEO Foundation.
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