UCSF Adopts AI Scribes To Improve Doctor-Patient Interaction

UC San Francisco (UCSF) is rolling out AI scribes to help doctors spend less time typing and more time engaging with patients.

These AI-powered tools record and transcribe clinical encounters, generating draft notes and patient instructions that physicians review before adding them to electronic health records, as reported by the university’s press release.

Dr. Sara Murray, UCSF’s Chief AI Officer, has been leading the implementation of AI scribes alongside other UCSF health leaders. “Clinicians have told us is that with AI scribes, they feel relieved of that cognitive burden because they can focus more deeply on talking to and thinking about their patients.” she explains.

With doctors often spending nights and weekends catching up on documentation, AI scribes aim to streamline the process and reduce burnout.

The impact is already visible. According to the press release, surveys show physicians who use AI scribes are more likely to complete their notes on the same day and report a more manageable workload.

Patients, too, appreciate the change. “My doctor was testing this new AI program which allowed him to speak directly to me: No typing, just eye-to-eye [contact] – simply spectacular.,” one patient shared, as reported by the UCSF.

While AI scribes enhance efficiency, privacy remains a top priority. Doctors must obtain verbal consent before recording, and all recordings are securely stored and later deleted in compliance with HIPAA regulations. Currently, 575 UCSF physicians have completed training to use AI scribes, with more expected to follow.

Looking ahead, AI’s role in health care is set to expand.

“As the technology evolves, AI scribes will become AI assistants, doing more and more to help clinicians with tasks that are needed to deliver safe and effective care to patients. For example, they may help by drafting orders for tests or to better summarize and incorporate past visit information into new documentation.” Dr. Murray predicts.

However, she emphasizes that these tools are designed to assist—not replace—doctors.

“Importantly, these tools are assistants and not replacements for your doctor. They are meant to make it easier for them to deliver high-quality care while always reviewing AI outputs. We call this “human-in-the-loop” and it is a critical part of ensuring these tools are trustworthy.”