Suki has launched a speech-to-text dictation tool that transcribes clinical language word-for-word and can be embedded directly into Epic and Meditech electronic health records, the company announced Tuesday.
The new product, called Suki Dictation, is distinct from the company's flagship ambient scribe, which listens passively to patient-provider conversations and generates summarized clinical notes. The dictation tool instead captures spoken words verbatim, which Suki said is useful for clinicians working with complex medical jargon or documenting procedures that require precise language.
Health tech companies can also embed the tool into their own products, avoiding the need to build speech recognition from scratch.
Choosing the right documentation method
Suki says the dictation tool can be deployed on its own or alongside its ambient clinical documentation product, letting clinicians select the most appropriate method for each patient visit.
The tool uses automatic speech recognition, a branch of AI that learns a user's vocabulary over time and removes filler words to make notes more concise. Providers might choose Suki Dictation when documenting complex surgical procedures or medical codes to ensure the highest level of precision, which is critical for accurate reimbursements, the company said.
A doctor having a more routine conversation with a patient might instead prefer an ambient listening tool that summarizes key talking points during the appointment.
Clinical dictation has evolved from in-person stenographers to AI-assisted tools embedded into EHR systems. Transcribing speech to text isn't new, but Suki argues that applying AI to the task delivers more value for clinicians. The company's broader work in Speech-To-Text technology underpins both products.
Building on shared infrastructure
Abhi Pathak, Suki's chief product officer, said the dictation tool shares a base infrastructure with the company's ambient documentation product. That foundation lays the groundwork for future features such as AI-backed procedure note generation, conversational voice editing, and intelligent voice commands.
Clinical documentation is one of the most popular uses for AI in healthcare. Research shows that among hospitals using Epic's EHR, 63% use AI for documentation. AI scribes have been tied to time savings and higher clinician job satisfaction.
Suki is competing in a crowded market that includes well-funded startups and EHR vendors offering their own native AI scribes. The launch comes more than a year after competitor Nabla released a dictation tool, and Microsoft's Dragon Copilot also offers dictation alongside ambient documentation.
Why this matters for healthcare professionals
For clinicians, the practical takeaway is that AI documentation tools are no longer one-size-fits-all. A verbatim dictation tool and an ambient summarizer serve different purposes, and having both available within the same EHR workflow means providers can match the tool to the task - precise transcription for complex procedures, summarized notes for routine visits.
That flexibility matters for AI for Healthcare professionals evaluating documentation tools. As vendors like Suki, Nabla, and Microsoft compete on features, the underlying trend is clear: AI documentation is becoming a standard part of clinical practice, and providers who understand the differences between these tools will be better positioned to use them effectively.
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