Clinicians in South Australia are trialling Artificial Intelligence tools designed to reduce the hours spent writing up patient notes, with the aim of freeing up time for direct care. The Malinauskas Government has kicked off two separate AI Scribe trials at major public health networks, exploring whether this technology can lighten the administrative load on doctors and nurses.
The Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and the Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) are leading the early work. Both trials involve patient or family consent and will assess whether AI-generated clinical notes are accurate and safe for ongoing care.
At CALHN, a purpose-built system trained on SA Health data is already in use across emergency and urgent care services, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Sefton Park Urgent Care Hub. The trial began last month and has now expanded following positive feedback. Transcripts produced by the AI are checked against traditionally written notes to ensure patient safety is not compromised. About 500 patients are expected to take part in the six-week research phase.
“We are already seeing clinicians the world over utilising Artificial Intelligence to help them work smarter, rather than harder,” said Health Minister Chris Picton. “If these trials prove successful, AI Scribes could be a real game-changer when it comes to reducing the administrative workload for doctors and nurses, so they can spend less time on the computer and more time with their patients.”
Meanwhile, WCHN is preparing to test a commercially available AI Scribe system in its Child Development Unit outpatient clinics later this month. This trial will be led by the network’s Artificial Intelligence Governance Committee and could pave the way for use in other departments. According to Dr Melissa McCradden, WCHN’s Director of Artificial Intelligence, the project is about more than just saving time.
“This trial allows us to estimate the potential improvements to care delivery while maintaining the safe, high-quality and person-centred documentation standards that we are accountable for as an institution,” she said. “Our goal is to use AI to help us provide better care and service to our consumers.”
These trials come as part of the state’s broader strategy to modernise government operations using digital tools. The $28 million boost to the Digital Investment Fund announced in this year’s Budget includes a dedicated stream for AI trials, with healthcare identified as a top priority.
Michael Brown, CEO of the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health, emphasised the real-world impact AI could have in hospitals. “Less admin means clinicians can focus on treating patients. More time with patients means more care delivered, faster,” he said.
The AI Scribe being used at CALHN was developed in collaboration with the Australian Institute for Machine Learning and the Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health. Dr Emily Kirkpatrick, a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Institute, explained the focus was on improving the patient journey in busy emergency departments.
“Our goal is to enhance the consumer experience in EDs, with our tool focused on generating a consult note, discharge summary, and providing consumers with a summary of their care in consumer-friendly language,” she said.
Both AI Scribes operate within the strict data protection frameworks used across SA Health, and the new policy guiding their use is being released for consultation this week. The draft outlines the safe and ethical use of AI technologies across the health system and will help guide future adoption.
Minister Picton stressed the cautious approach being taken. “We are taking every step to ensure that this technology is safe, secure, accurate and effective, which is why we are trialling these AI Scribes under strict controls,” he said.
With up to 40 per cent of Australian GPs already using some form of digital transcription, South Australia’s public system could soon follow suit if these pilots prove successful. The hope is that AI Scribes will become a practical tool for easing pressure on frontline health workers, especially in emergency and outpatient settings where time is scarce and patient demand continues to grow.
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