How to write clinical notes with an AI medical scribe

By the end of this guide you will have run a patient visit through an AI medical scribe, reviewed the draft note it produced, corrected it and moved it into your record system. An AI medical scribe is a tool that listens to the visit (or takes an upload or dictation), then drafts a structured note, such as a SOAP note, for the clinician to review and sign.

If you want to use an AI medical scribe to write clinical notes, the decisions that matter are how the tool connects to your EHR, what template it writes in, and how your organization handles patient privacy. This guide compares seven scribes from our Productivity category, using only what each vendor's listing states.

Key takeaways

• Pick a scribe that fits your setting (solo clinician, specialty practice or health system) and your EHR, run a trial, then review and edit every draft before it enters the chart.
• The main decision is how notes reach the record: direct EHR integration, a browser extension that pastes the note, or copy and export.
• Pricing ranges from a free plan for individual doctors to quote-only enterprise contracts, so check the model before a pilot.
• The scribe drafts, the clinician is responsible. Confirm privacy terms and obtain patient consent to recording where required.

What you need before you start

• The right kind of access. Freed, Nudge AI and ScribeMD list plans for individual clinicians, while Abridge contracts directly with health systems and DeepScribe quotes by license count.
• Your EHR details. Know which EHR you use and whether it is browser-based, because integrations differ.
• A note template. Decide whether you want SOAP, DAP, H&P or a specialty format, and keep a sample of an ideal note.
• A device. A phone, tablet or computer with a working microphone, in a quiet room.
• Time. A pilot can start in under an hour. Allow a few weeks of real visits before you judge the fit.
• Permission. Check your employer's policy, your privacy obligations and patient consent rules before you record anyone.

Which kind of AI tool fits this job

Choose by where you work and how the note gets into the record.

Enterprise platforms for health systems. Abridge drafts notes from patient conversations, links each statement back to the part of the conversation it came from, and integrates with Epic. It is aimed at large health systems, and no self-serve pricing is published. DeepScribe is aimed at specialty care, with oncology a central focus, and writes to discrete EHR fields through bi-directional integration.

Scribes with self-serve plans for clinicians and small practices. Freed produces a note after you press record and stop, with specialty templates, and has a free trial that needs no card. Nudge AI is built for behavioral health and other specialties, with a free plan and a Chrome extension that pastes the note into EHRs. ScribeMD lists a free plan for individual clinicians and apps on web, desktop and mobile.

Scribes for practices and clinics that need mobile or regional fit. Sunoh.ai works on iPhone, iPad, Android and the web, and lists connections to several EHRs. Empathia AI is for physicians and clinics in the US and Canada and covers intake, ambient notes, dictation and letters.

Step 1: Choose a scribe that fits your setting

You finish with a short list of one to three scribes to try.

1. Write down your EHR and whether it is browser-based.
2. Note whether you need specialty workflows, such as oncology or behavioral health.
3. Check how each tool is sold: a self-serve plan, a free tier, or a contract through sales.
4. Use the comparison table below to match your answers to the stated limits.

Check it worked by confirming each shortlisted tool lists your EHR or a route to it.

Step 2: Check privacy, consent and compliance

Patient data is sensitive, so settle this before the first recording.

1. Read the vendor's privacy and security statements. Several state HIPAA compliance, and Nudge AI says audio is deleted within 7 days.
2. Ask your compliance or privacy lead whether a business associate agreement is needed. Sunoh.ai lists one as included.
3. Find out where data is processed. Abridge, for example, states US-based data centers.
4. Decide how you will tell patients and obtain consent to recording where your rules require it.

Check it worked by having written approval from whoever owns privacy in your organization.

Step 3: Set up your account, template and EHR connection

The aim is to get a draft in the format your chart expects.

1. Create the account, or let your administrator invite you.
2. Pick a template. Nudge AI lists 75+ prebuilt templates, ScribeMD writes in SOAP, H&P, APSO, DAP and custom templates, and Freed has specialty-specific templates that adapt as you edit.
3. Connect your EHR if the tool supports it, or install the paste extension. Nudge AI's EHR Copilot and Sunoh.ai's EHR Sync are both browser extensions.
4. Add a sample of your preferred note style if the tool has a customization option, such as DeepScribe's Customization Studio.

Check it worked by creating a test note from a made-up visit and confirming it appears in the format you chose.

Step 4: Run a test visit

Test with a colleague playing the patient before using real patient data.

1. Place the device where it will pick up both voices clearly.
2. Start the recording, or select the patient from a synced schedule if the tool supports it (DeepScribe does).
3. Hold a normal conversation, including a medication discussion and a plan.
4. Stop the recording and wait for the draft.

Check it worked by reading the draft against what was said and noting what it missed or invented.

Step 5: Review and edit the draft

The note is yours once you sign it, so treat the AI output as a first draft.

1. Read the whole note, not just the summary. Check the history, medications, doses and the plan.
2. Correct errors and remove anything that was not said or done. Abridge's Linked Evidence ties statements to the source conversation, which helps you verify.
3. Check suggested codes. ScribeMD, Nudge AI, Empathia AI (labelled beta) and Freed (on Premier) list ICD-10 or CPT suggestions, which are suggestions only.
4. Adjust the wording to your own style, because tools such as Empathia AI and DeepScribe learn from your edits.

Check it worked by confirming that nothing in the final note surprises you when you compare it with your memory of the visit.

Step 6: Send the note to the record

Only a reviewed and signed note belongs in the chart.

1. Use the EHR integration if available. Sunoh.ai lists Epic, Cerner and athenahealth among others, and Freed lists athenahealth, Practice Fusion, AdvancedMD, eClinicalWorks and DrChrono, with one-click EHR push on its Premier plan.
2. Otherwise use the paste extension, or export the note. Sunoh.ai can export completed notes as a PDF.
3. Confirm the note landed in the right patient's chart and in the right fields.
4. Delete any local copies your policy says you should not keep.

Check it worked by opening the chart and confirming the note is where you expect it.

Step 7: Measure the fit and adjust

Judge the tool on real use, not on the demo.

1. Track how long you spend editing each note over a couple of weeks.
2. Note recurring errors, for example names, drug names or accents.
3. Adjust templates and settings, and report issues to the vendor.
4. Decide whether to keep the tool, change plan or try another one from your shortlist.

Check it worked by comparing your documentation time and the number of corrections at the start and end of the pilot.

Tools for this job compared

Tool	Good fit for	Pricing	Stated limits
DeepScribe	Specialty care with EHR write-back	Pricing unknown	Prices not published (billed by license count); built mainly for specialty and oncology workflows
Freed	Individual clinicians wanting notes, letters and codes	Free trial, paid from $39/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Starter capped at 40 notes per month; EHR push works with supported browser-based EHRs only
Nudge AI	Therapists and clinicians needing notes plus coding	Freemium, paid from $99/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Free plan includes 5 notes; audio deleted within 7 days; Enterprise needs a demo
ScribeMD	Clinicians on web, desktop and mobile	Freemium	Communication Hub in beta; dictation shortcut on Mac and Windows only
Abridge	Large health systems on Epic	Contact sales	No self-serve pricing published; US-based data centers; notes are drafts clinicians review
Sunoh.ai	Providers on iPhone, iPad, Android or web	Free trial, paid from $149/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Price described as a limited-time rate; notes are drafts to review; more EHRs listed as coming soon
Empathia AI	Physicians and clinics in the US and Canada	Free trial, paid from $50/mo (checked 24 Oct 2026)	Trial lasts 21 days and covers 100 encounters; billing codes and form autofill labelled beta

Prices and plan limits change, so confirm the current terms on each vendor's site before you commit.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Signing without reading. A fluent draft can still contain an invented detail or a wrong dose. Most vendors here describe the output as a draft for clinician review. Fix it by reading the full note before you sign.
• Recording without clear consent. Rules on recording patients vary by place and employer. Fix it by getting privacy sign-off and telling patients before you start.
• Assuming your EHR is supported. Integrations differ: some work only with browser-based EHRs, and some are listed as coming soon. Fix it by checking the vendor's list and testing a note before you commit.
• Trusting suggested codes. ICD-10 and CPT suggestions can be wrong or unsupported by the documentation. Fix it by having a coder or the clinician confirm them.
• Judging from a single demo. A quiet test room does not show how the tool handles accents, interruptions or crosstalk. Fix it by running a real pilot with your own visit types.

How we put this together

This is an evidence-based guide built from each tool's listing in our directory, which is compiled from the vendor's own site and pricing page. It is not a review based on using the tools. We don't rank tools, and nobody paid to be included. Some outbound links may be affiliate links; see our disclosure. This guide is general information, not clinical, legal or compliance advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free AI medical scribe?

Some options are free within limits. ScribeMD lists a free plan for individual doctors, Nudge AI has a Free plan with 5 notes, Freed offers a free trial without a card, and Empathia AI has a 21-day trial. Check each vendor's terms for current limits.

Can an AI medical scribe replace documentation by the clinician?

No. Most tools in this guide describe their notes as drafts for the clinician to review, edit and approve. The clinician remains responsible for what goes into the record, so plan your workflow around review rather than automatic filing.

Which AI medical scribe works with my EHR?

It depends on the tool. Abridge integrates with Epic, Sunoh.ai lists Epic, Cerner, athenahealth and others, and Freed lists athenahealth and eClinicalWorks. Nudge AI says its extension pastes into 25+ EHRs. Check the vendor's current integration list for your exact system.

Is it safe to use an AI scribe with patient data?

Several vendors state HIPAA compliance, but a vendor's statement is not a substitute for your own review. Ask your privacy or compliance lead to check the agreement, data location and retention, and make sure patients are informed where rules require consent.

Can I use a medical scribe on my phone?

Yes, for some. ScribeMD lists web, desktop, iOS, Android and Apple Watch, Sunoh.ai works on iPhone, iPad and Android, and Empathia AI lists iOS and Android apps. DeepScribe is listed for the web only.

Compare more options in our Productivity category.