Ask before the microphone starts.
By Elizabeth Ndungu | Founder, Ndungu Consulting | Tech Coach for Adults 50+
AI note-taking at doctor visits is becoming more common.
You sit across from your doctor.
You explain what hurts, what changed, and what you forgot to ask during your last appointment.
Your doctor is listening.
A phone, tablet, or computer may be listening too.
The tool may be an AI scribe. It records the conversation and creates a draft medical note for your doctor.
These tools are no longer rare. Health technology experts estimate that about one-third of health care providers have access to AI scribe technology.
An AI scribe may help your doctor spend less time typing and more time looking at you.
It may also raise questions about your privacy, your medical record, and what happens to the recording after you leave.
You deserve clear answers before the microphone starts.
What an AI Scribe Does
An AI scribe listens to the conversation during your appointment.
It then creates a draft note that may include:
- Your symptoms
- Your medications
- Changes in your health
- Test orders
- Treatment instructions
- Follow-up plans
- Your doctor’s assessment
It does not usually create a word-for-word transcript. It identifies information that appears relevant and turns it into a medical note.
Your doctor should review and edit the draft before adding it to your medical record.
The goal is to reduce the amount of time doctors spend typing during appointments.
That could help.
Many patients know what it feels like to explain a health concern while the doctor looks at a computer screen.
An AI scribe may give the doctor more time to listen, make eye contact, and respond to your questions.
But the tool should not become invisible.
You should know when it is being used.
Your Doctor Should Explain the Tool
Many clinics ask for verbal permission before using an AI scribe. The exact process depends on the clinic, the technology company, and the recording laws where you live.
Your doctor may say:
“Is it okay if I use an AI tool to help take notes during this appointment?”
You can ask questions before answering.
You can say:
“What will the tool record?”
“Will the audio be saved?”
“Who can see the information?”
“Can I ask you to stop it during part of the appointment?”
Some health systems allow patients to decline the tool or pause it during a sensitive part of the visit. UCSF Health, for example, says its doctors must ask permission and that patients can say no or request a pause. Other clinics may follow different policies.
You may feel comfortable using an AI scribe during a routine blood pressure check.
You may feel differently during a conversation about mental health, sexual health, memory loss, family conflict, or another private concern.
You do not have to treat every appointment the same way.
Questions to Ask Before You Agree
You do not need to ask every question on this list.
Choose the ones that matter most to you.
- What is being recorded?
- Is the full audio saved?
- How long will the recording be kept?
- Who can access it?
- Is the information used only for my care?
- Will the technology company use my information to improve its system?
- Will my doctor review the draft?
- Can I decline the AI scribe?
- Can I pause it during part of the visit?
- Where will I see the final note?
- How can I report a mistake?
A clinic may not have an immediate answer to every question.
That is useful information too.
You should understand what you are agreeing to before a tool records a private medical conversation.
You should also understand who will have access to those notes other than the doctors office, i.e. the technology company? Will the technology share/sell your data to a third company? Ask the doctors office if you are not sure.
AI Notes Can Be Wrong
AI tools make mistakes.
An AI scribe may:
- Mishear a word
- Confuse one medication with another
- Leave out an important detail
- Add something that was not said
- Remove context
- Summarize a concern too broadly
- Include an incorrect follow-up plan
KFF Health News reported that an AI-generated note could include a referral or follow-up instruction that the doctor never discussed. Doctors are expected to review the notes, but human review does not catch every mistake.
That is why your review matters too.
After the appointment, look for the visit summary in your patient portal. You may also receive a printed copy.
Check:
- Medication names
- Medication doses
- Medications that were stopped
- New prescriptions
- Test orders
- Follow-up dates
- Referrals
- Warning signs
- Diagnosis wording
If something looks wrong, contact the doctor’s office.
You are not being difficult.
Incorrect information can follow you into another appointment, affect a refill, or confuse another member of the medical team.
You Can Ask for a Correction
You generally have the right to access much of the information in your medical record.
You can also ask your health care provider to correct information you believe is wrong or incomplete. The provider must respond, although it may not agree to every requested change.
You could write:
“My visit summary says I stopped taking this medication, but the doctor told me to continue taking it. Please review and correct the note.”
Be specific.
Include:
- The date of the appointment
- The section that appears incorrect
- What you remember being discussed
- The correction you are requesting
The temporary audio used by an AI scribe may not be part of the medical record you can request.
For example, UCSF says patients can see their final visit notes but cannot receive a copy of the temporary AI recording. Its recordings are deleted within 30 days. Other health systems may use different rules and storage periods.
Ask your clinic what applies to its system.
Can You Record the Visit Yourself?
Maybe.
Do not assume that you are allowed to record a medical appointment on your phone.
Recording laws vary by state. Clinic policies also vary.
Ask first.
You can say:
“I sometimes forget details after an appointment. May I record our conversation so I can listen to the instructions again at home?”
Some doctors may agree.
Others may ask you to use the written visit summary instead.
Some clinics do not allow personal recordings because of privacy concerns.
If recording is not allowed, ask for another form of support:
- A printed visit summary
- Written medication instructions
- Access to the patient portal
- Bring a trusted family member or caregiver
- A follow-up message confirming the next steps
The goal is to leave knowing what you need to do.
Do Not Let the Note Replace the Conversation
An AI scribe may capture many details.
It cannot tell your doctor that you are confused unless you say so.
It cannot decide which concern matters most to you.
It cannot ask the question you were afraid to bring up.
Before the appointment, write down your top two or three questions.
Do not hide them at the bottom of a long list.
Start with the issue that worries you most.
You can say:
“Before we begin, I have two questions I need help with today.”
That tells the doctor what you need from the appointment.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Bring a short paper list or save one on your phone.
Use these three headings.
My questions
Write the two or three questions you want answered.
My medications
Include:
- Medication name
- Dose
- Time you take it
- Reason you take it
Include vitamins and over-the-counter medicines too.
What changed today
Before leaving, confirm:
- New medication
- Medication stopped
- Test ordered
- Referral made
- Follow-up date
- Warning signs
- Who to contact with questions
You can say:
“Before I leave, could you please confirm what I need to do next?”
This helps with or without AI.
You Still Have a Voice in the Room
A microphone in the room does not take away your voice.
You can ask what it is doing.
You can request a pause.
You can say:
“Please explain that in simpler language.”
“Please write that down.”
“I do not understand.”
“I do not want this part recorded.”
“Can we check the instructions before I leave?”
AI may help create the medical note.
It should not replace your questions, your comfort, or your judgment.
Your memory does not have to carry the whole appointment alone.
Ask for the summary.
Read it.
Report anything that appears wrong.
And before the microphone starts, ask who is listening.
Would you feel comfortable with an AI scribe listening during your next doctor’s appointment?
I write about technology safety and digital literacy for adults over 50. Follow me here on Medium to receive the next article.
For calm, one-on-one technology help with no pressure, no jargon, and no embarrassment, visit ndunguconsulting.com.
A note on AI accuracy
AI tools including AI Scribes, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can and do make mistakes. They can state incorrect information confidently and without flagging it as uncertain. Always verify anything important, especially in medical, legal, financial, or safety contexts, through a qualified professional or a verified source. These tools are aids for thinking and drafting, not authoritative sources.
About the Author
Elizabeth Ndungu is the founder of Ndungu Consulting, a technology coaching and digital literacy practice that helps adults over 50 build confidence with everyday technology. Computers, phones, AI tools, email, Microsoft Office, online safety, and digital skills in plain English. She provides patient, practical support for people who want to learn without jargon, pressure, or embarrassment.
Sources
KFF Health News, “Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?,” April 2026: https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/healthq-ai-scribes-notetaker-doctor-visit-data-privacy/
KFF Health News, “Doctors Increasingly See AI Scribes in a Positive Light. But Hiccups Persist,” January 2026: https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/ambient-ai-scribes-doctor-appointments-note-taking-ehr-epic/
UCSF Health, “AI Note-Taking at Your UCSF Health Visits,” 2026: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/_site_UCSF/about/ai-note-taking-at-your-doctor-visits
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