AI scribe technology at Ballarat Community Health
AI scribe technology at Ballarat Community Health
Ballarat Community Health is implementing an AI scribe tool called Lyrebird Health within our medical practices.
Lyrebird is designed to assist clinicians with clinical documentation during a consultation. It listens to the conversation between you and your clinician and uses this information to prepare a draft of the clinical notes and other relevant documents.
The technology supports the documentation process only. Your clinician remains responsible for your consultation, reviewing the information generated by Lyrebird and ensuring the appropriate information is included in your medical record.
What this means for you
If your clinician would like to use Lyrebird during your appointment, they will explain this to you before using the tool and ask for your verbal consent.
You can choose whether you are comfortable with Lyrebird being used during your consultation.
If you do not want it used, simply let your clinician know. They will document your consultation in the usual way. Declining the use of Lyrebird will not affect the care or services you receive from Ballarat Community Health.
Not every clinician will use Lyrebird. BCH clinicians are required to complete training before they can use the tool as part of their consultations.
Why is lyrebird being used? What is the benefit to me?
If your GP uses Lyrebird, it can help them spend less time typing or writing notes and more time focused on listening to you during your consultation. Lyrebird creates a draft of your clinical notes based on the conversation, which your GP reviews for accuracy before adding the relevant information to your medical record.
This helps reduce the time your GP spends on notetaking and allows them to focus more closely on you and your conversation during your appointment.
Your privacy and information
Protecting your personal and health information is important.
When Lyrebird is used during a consultation:
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Audio from the consultation is processed to create a transcript but is not permanently stored
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Generated documentation and associated transcripts held within Lyrebird are deleted after the applicable storage period (a maximum of 7 days)
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Information is processed and stored in Australia
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Information stored within Lyrebird is encrypted
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Lyrebird does not use patient information to train its AI models
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Information is not shared with other parties for the purpose of training AI models
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Your clinician reviews the generated clinical documentation before it forms part of your medical record.
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Lyrebird is not involved in any clinical decision making.
Your medical record continues to be managed by Ballarat Community Health in accordance with our usual privacy, confidentiality and health information requirements.
This tool does NOT access your medical records.
FAQ’s
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What is Lyrebird?
Lyrebird Health is an AI scribe tool that helps clinicians prepare clinical notes and documents from the conversation that takes place during a consultation.
It works in the background while you speak with your clinician and prepares a draft for your clinician to review.
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What is an AI scribe?
An AI scribe is a tool designed specifically to assist with clinical documentation.
Traditionally, a clinician may type notes during or after an appointment. An AI scribe can assist by processing the conversation and preparing a draft clinical note.
The clinician remains responsible for reviewing and finalising the information that is added to your medical record.
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Is an AI scribe the same as ChatGPT or a general AI chatbot?
No.
General-purpose AI tools and Large Language Models, often referred to as LLMs, can be used for a wide variety of tasks.
An AI scribe is designed for a specific purpose within a healthcare setting: assisting clinicians to document consultations.
Lyrebird does not replace your clinician, make decisions about your care or provide your treatment. Your clinician remains responsible for your care and your medical record.
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Do I have to agree to Lyrebird being used?
No.
Your clinician will ask for your consent before using Lyrebird during your consultation.
You can decline. Your clinician will simply document your consultation using their usual process, and your decision will not affect the care or services you receive.
You can also ask your clinician to stop using the tool during your consultation.
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Will I know when Lyrebird is being used?
Yes.
Your clinician will tell you that they would like to use Lyrebird and ask for your consent before it is used during your consultation.
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Is my consultation being recorded?
Lyrebird needs to process audio from the consultation to create a transcript and draft documentation. However, the audio file is not permanently stored and is destroyed after it has been transcribed.
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Where is my information processed?
Lyrebird states that patient information is processed and stored using Australian-based infrastructure and is not sent overseas for processing.
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How do I know my information is secure?
Information stored within Lyrebird is encrypted and hosted on Australian infrastructure.
Lyrebird advises that patient information is not used to train its AI models and is not shared with third parties for AI model training.
Ballarat Community Health has also considered privacy and information security requirements as part of implementing the technology. The Department of Health has approved the use of this AI scribe in clinics across Australia.
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How long does Lyrebird keep information?
Lyrebird’s default setting stores generated documentation and the associated transcript for seven days before it is deleted from its system. This period can be configured to a shorter timeframe.
Audio from your consultation is not retained after it has been transcribed.
Once reviewed and added to your medical record, the relevant clinical documentation is managed as part of your BCH medical record in the usual way.
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Does AI decide what goes into my medical record?
No.
Lyrebird prepares a draft for your clinician. Your clinician is responsible for reviewing and finalising the clinical documentation and remains professionally responsible for the information entered into your medical record.
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Does Lyrebird make decisions about my health or treatment?
No.
Lyrebird is being used as a documentation tool. It does not replace your clinician or make decisions about your diagnosis, treatment or care.
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Is my information used to train AI?
Lyrebird advises that patient information processed through its service is not used to train its AI models.
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Who at BCH can use Lyrebird?
Only clinicians who have completed BCH’s required training and have been approved to use the tool will be able to use Lyrebird as part of their consultations.
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What if I have questions or concerns?
We encourage you to speak with your clinician before or during your appointment if you have questions about Lyrebird or would like more information before deciding whether you are comfortable with it being used.
You are always able to say no.
