Your doctor is using AI to write your medical chart. Here’s what to ask before it starts.

April 23, 2026

By Kim Komando

My friend Anna told me her GP walked into the examining room and said, “My AI is listening today.” Wait, what? 

Let me tell you what I told her.

You may not know it, but at 1 in 3 U.S. physician practices, an AI scribe takes part in your visit. The tool records your entire conversation, transcribes it and drafts the note that ends up in your medical record. 

Nuance’s DAX Copilot, Abridge, Suki and Epic’s system are exploding in adoption. Many people don’t know it’s happening.

🩺 What it does

The AI listens to everything. Symptoms you describe, medications you mention, the stuff you blurt out because you’re nervous. It organizes all of it into a formal note your doctor reviews, edits (or not) and adds to your chart. 

No more doctors hunched over a laptop typing. Eye contact. Real conversations. Visits feel human again. 

Sounds great, right? Not so fast.

⚠️ What it misses (and who sees it)

AI scribes omit details, miss context and sometimes invent things that were never said. The doctor is supposed to catch errors before anything goes into your record. Many don’t have time. 

You’ve got a permanent medical document written partly by a machine that could get pulled by insurance companies, employers running background checks or future doctors.

HIPAA covers the record, not the recording. 

Your visit audio sits on a vendor’s servers. Some vendors retain it to improve models. Some delete it quickly. Some don’t say.

🎯 Ask these 4 questions at your next visit

1. Are you using an AI scribe today?
2. What company makes it, and is the audio retained?
3. Can I see the note before it’s finalized in my chart?
4. Can I opt out of AI documentation for this visit?

Federal law doesn’t require your written consent. State laws vary. But nothing stops you from asking. If the answer you get sounds like a shrug, that’s your answer. Good doctors welcome the question.

Your medical record is your record. Know who’s writing it.

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At 1 in 3 doctor’s offices, an AI records your entire visit. Federal law doesn’t require them to tell you. Get the 4 questions you need to ask at www.GetKim.com.

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📩 Send this to someone who has a doctor’s appointment coming up. Your mom. Your partner. Anyone who signed a HIPAA form last week assuming it still meant what it used to.