Foundation models like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard are derived from natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms. These models use transfer learning mechanisms to convert texts to summaries. Using foundation models is becoming an increasingly important topic for health care providers using digital technologies. One of the biggest challenges in the health care industry is clinical documentation. Can these foundation models be used to automate medical scribing? Not precisely, but there is hope.

The capabilities and limitations of foundation models in handling medical scribing use cases

Automated medical scribe software is becoming an increasingly interesting topic in health care. This technology is hoped to help medical practitioners by taking over the tedious task of medical scribing. Foundation AI models can be used to create medical scribing software programs, but it’s essential to understand their capabilities and limitations when handling medical scribing use cases. The most significant advantage is in natural language processing (NLP). With foundation model AI, medical scribes and physicians can generate comprehensive patient documentation with minimal effort.

Two significant limitations must be understood before using foundation AI systems to automate medical scribing.

First, foundation models can automate summarizing medical texts, but these transfer learning models are limited in interpreting complex clinical data. It is also essential to consider the accuracy due to the implicit interpretation of these models when creating automated medical texts, as mistakes can lead to severe consequences. They should only be deployed where human or automated verification mechanisms are established to oversee the output.

Second, medical scribing is not just text summarization; it involves medically aware voice-to-text conversion, automating the physician’s documentation workflow, converting it to the physician’s template, and ensuring data accuracy. This will still need a human scribe intervention.

Foundation models can independently speed up documentation for medical scribes but may not replace them entirely. It can become a handy tool for medical scribes and physicians as it exists today.

Despite recent concerns, foundation AI models for automating medical scribing are not coming to an end. Several medical scribing automation vendors have developed innovative products to ensure accuracy and safety and cover the gaps in foundation AI for medical scribing. One example is a robot medical scribe, built on the responsible deployment of foundation AI models, medical expert systems for oversight, and robots to automate the medical scribing process.

The responsible deployment of foundation AI models is crucial to ensure accuracy, safety, and compliance with HIPAA and GDPR standards. Medical scribing automation vendors have developed policies and guidelines specifically for medical scribing, implementing a front-end system that proactively blocks users from prompting harmful behavior and misuse scenarios.

Medical expert systems provide oversight to protect against known vulnerabilities and weaknesses. They review outputs from all foundation AI touchpoints for correct medical contexts and errors and prompt for compliant clinical documentation integrity standards.

Moreover, robots can automate various tasks, such as lab orders, insurance verification, referral letters, and scanning medical test documents, among others. The robot medical scribe seamlessly integrates into a physician’s medical documentation workflow, allowing data entry into any EHR and personalization to the physician’s template.

Trustworthiness and complete medical scribing automation are vital in the medical industry. The robot medical scribe is a prime example of a comprehensive solution for accurate, safe, and efficient medical documentation.

Sushindri Sridharan is a physician and CEO, S10.AI. She can be reached on Twitter @S10AI2 and @DrSushindri.