Northern Health (NH) is committed to leveraging innovative technologies, including AI, to enhance health care delivery, address staffing shortages, improve access, and boost clinical efficiency.
AI ambient scribes use speech recognition, natural language processing, and AI to auto-generate documentation during patient visits.
- Tools are advancing rapidly.
- Vendors are integrating AI for scribes, front-line care, and decision support.
Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA), NH must complete Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) and Security Threat and Risk Assessments (STRAs).
- FOIPPA applies to Northern Health–operated clinical settings.
- The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) applies to private clinics.
- These assessments protect patients and NH and support medical staff in meeting their privacy and security obligations when using AI ambient scribes.
Appropriate use and support
Medical staff must review and edit AI-generated documentation before including it in patient records, while complying with privacy, security, and appropriate use requirements.
This includes your professional obligations and requirements under:
- BC College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Doctors of BC
- BC College of Nurses and Midwives
- Canadian Medical Protective Association (links below)
- NH Appropriate Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence policy (6-2-1-090) (NH login required).
Only approved Bring-Your-Own-App (BYOA) scribe tools (listed below) may be used in NH-operated clinical settings, following PIA, STRA, and policy assessments.
- Medical staff may use other tools in private settings.
- NH provides no IT setup, training, or support for BYOA tools.
- Staff must license, self-pay, manage use, and ensure appropriate application in NH settings.
Self-pay discount (50%) - until December 2026
NH Medical Staff: Access a limited-time 50% self-pay discount on approved BYOA scribes (except Tali). This discount has been negotiated for BC physicians. This will require use of your NH email address to sign up and details of the process can be found on the BC Scribe Self Pay Program website.
- New signups: Use your @northernhealth.ca email from the start.
- Already signed up? Contact the vendor directly to switch your account to your NH email.
- Promo code: BCSCRIBE (if prompted).
- Details: BC Scribe Self Pay Program
| Product | Vendor | How to access |
|---|---|---|
| Autochart.ai | Aya Health Technologies Inc. | Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use: |
| AutoScribe express version | Mutuo Health Solutions, part of Healwell AI Inc. | During set-up, be sure to select the approved Express version of product, not Classic. Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use:
|
| Empathia AI | Empathia AI (MediEmma AI Software Services Inc.) | Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use: |
| Heidi | Heidi Health (Heidi Health Trading Pty Ltd.) | Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use: |
| Scribeberry | Scribeberry Inc. | Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use: |
| Tali | 11855760 Canada Inc. (dba Tali AI) | Access this BYOA tool on the vendor's website. Set-up and use: |
| Dragon Medical One (DMO) | Microsoft Canada Inc. | Dragon Medical One (DMO) is not a BYOA scribe, it’s NH’s enterprise speech-to-text tool, integrated with MOIS and Cerner. Migration to Dragon Copilot, with AI scribe functionality, is under review.
|
Resources
Information and context for professional AI use in medical practice.
- Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) at Northern Health - NH network only
- NH Appropriate Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence policy (6-2-1-090) - NH network only
- DoBC Doctors of BC - Using AI scribe technologies
- BC College of Physicians and Surgeons - Ethical principles for AI use in medicine (PDF)
- BC College of Nurses and Midwives - Using artificial intelligence in practice
- CMPA Canadian Medical Protective Association - Emergence of AI in healthcare
- CMPA Canadian Medical Protective Association - AI scribe FAQs
Get involved
- RCCbc Rural Coordination Centre of BC - AI scribe program
- BC Scribe Self Pay - AI scribe program
- Canada Health Infoway - AI scribe program
Stay informed
- AI ambient scribes use in Northern Health FAQs (PDF)
- Additional AI ambient scribes approved for use in Northern Health memo – March 4, 2026 (PDF)
- Empathia AI ambient scribe approved for use in Northern Health memo – July 22, 2025 (PDF)
- Heidi AI ambient scribe approved for use in Northern Health memo - April 29, 2025 (PDF)
- AI ambient scribes software in Northern Health memo - April 14, 2025 (PDF)