FIELD NOTES / BUYER’S GUIDE

AI medical scribes in Australia: compare published offers and TGA guidance

Compare published AI scribe prices, practice-software integrations and data claims, see what the TGA, Ahpra, RACGP and OAIC say, and use a buyer checklist before you trial one.

By Find AI Consultants · AI-assisted research and writing · Updated 24 October 2026

Checked 24 October 2026. We have not tested any of these products. Prices and claims come from vendor pages on that date and change often. This guide is general information, not clinical, legal or privacy advice. Check with your medical defence organisation (MDO) before you start.

What an AI scribe does, and the question that matters most.

The TGA describes digital scribes (also called AI scribes or ambient scribes) as software that captures the conversation between a patient and a practitioner and generates clinical notes, summaries, letters or other outputs that may be added to the patient record. Some listen to the whole consultation; others take dictation from the clinician. Several products do both.

The question that matters most in 2026: does the product only write up what was said, or does it add clinical suggestions? A scribe that suggests diagnoses, treatments or investigations is likely to be a regulated medical device. The TGA’s October 2026 review, covered below, is why this now sits at the top of the checklist.

The right product depends on three things: the practice software you already use, your specialty, and where you need patient data to be stored. Start there, then compare price.

Published offers compared.

Facts as published on vendor or platform pages on 24 October 2026. “Not published” means we could not find it on the pages listed in the sources, not that it does not exist. This is not a ranking or a complete market survey. Do not add the prices together across vendors: seat types, usage limits, integrations and GST treatment differ.

Vendor-published facts, checked 24 October 2026. Vendor claims about storage and audio have not been independently verified.
	Heidi Health	Lyrebird Health	i-scribe	MedicalDirector Smart Scribe
Free option	Free plan at $0 (“Write unlimited notes, free”), one free seat	Free plan with monthly limits and no practice-software integration. A separate free plan is included via Bp Premier, with limits	No free plan. 14-day free trial	Not published
Main paid plan	Clinician $85 per user a month, billed annually, excludes sales taxes. Practice $130 per user a month. Enterprise by quote	Pro shown as $160 a month billed annually. Lyrebird’s own 12 August 2026 article gives A$1,920 a year or A$240 month to month, excluding GST, plus clinic tiers from A$299 + GST a month	General Practitioner $150 a month ($1,800 a year). Specialist $200 a month ($2,400 a year). AUD, excludes GST	The page lists two partner options: a Heidi Health option at $1,299 a year and a second option at $105 per user a month. GST basis not stated
Practice software named	Best Practice, MedicalDirector, Cliniko, Genie, Gentu, Zedmed, Halaxy, Nookal, MediRecords, Core Practice, Dental4Windows and others. Integration listed as an add-on	Bp Premier, Genie, Gentu, BetterConsult, Cubiko and hospital systems	Genie, Gentu, Shexie and Best Practice	Built into MedicalDirector Clinical (version 4.3 or later)
Where data is stored (vendor claim)	“Your patients’ information stays right here in Australia”	“All patient data is processed and stored within Australia”	“Your data stays in Australia”	Stored in Australian data centres; removed from partner clouds within seven days of saving
Audio kept? (vendor claim)	Says audio is not stored permanently	Says audio is destroyed once transcription is complete	Not found on the pages we read	Says recordings are deleted after transcription
Training on patient data (vendor claim)	Not stated on the pages we read	Says data is never used to train external AI models	Not found on the pages we read	Says no data is used to train AI models

Clarify with every vendor: the monthly price if you do not pay annually, GST, which plan includes the integration with your exact software version, usage limits, and what happens to your data when you leave. Heidi’s and i-scribe’s pages offer a monthly toggle; we did not record those figures, so ask.

Also seen: Cliniko’s connected-apps page lists CliniScribe AI from $26 a month per clinician for Cliniko users (we did not check the developer’s own site). Microsoft’s Dragon products may come up in hospital procurement; we could not find published Australian pricing or availability for Dragon Copilot.

Heidi pricing ↗ · Lyrebird pricing ↗ · i-scribe pricing ↗ · MedicalDirector Smart Scribe ↗

What the TGA says.

Not every scribe is a medical device. According to the TGA, a scribe that only records, transcribes and translates the conversation into a written record, without adding clinical content the practitioner did not say, is not a device. A scribe is likely to be a device if it suggests diagnoses, treatments or investigations, triages or monitors patients, or generates clinical conclusions. A disclaimer such as “not for diagnosis” does not change that if the features are there. A software update can turn a scribe into a device.

In its review published on 16 October 2026, the TGA looked at 12 scribe products. None of the suppliers said their product was a medical device. The TGA found that eight included functions likely to meet the definition of a medical device, two needed more information and two appeared unlikely to be devices. It did not say which products were which, and it did not test the products or assess their privacy protections.

What this means for a practice: ask the vendor in writing whether any feature suggests clinical content. If it does, ask for its entry on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). Re-check after major updates.

Note: the RACGP’s AI scribe page says scribes used in general practice do not need TGA regulation. That content was written before the TGA’s October 2026 review; treat the TGA page as the current position.

TGA: Digital scribes ↗ · TGA: Review outcomes ↗

Consent, records and privacy: what the official guidance says.

The clinician stays responsible. Ahpra says practitioners remain responsible for safe care and for checking the accuracy of AI-generated records. The RACGP says to review notes as soon as possible after each consultation.
Consent every time. The RACGP says to get patient consent at the start of each consultation and to ask your MDO whether it must be written. Ahpra notes there may be criminal implications if a consultation is recorded without consent.
Patients can say no. The TGA says patients can withdraw consent and ask for another recording method. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care says to stop recording and delete the data and outputs if consent is withdrawn.
Where data is stored. The Commission’s ambient scribe scenario says audio and summaries should be stored and processed in Australia unless the patient explicitly consents to offshore handling. The RACGP says Australian storage is the ideal.
Privacy law applies to small practices. The OAIC says the Privacy Act covers health service providers regardless of turnover, recommends a privacy impact assessment and says to update your privacy policy to explain your use of AI.
Errors to watch for. The Commission warns scribes can invent a diagnosis, omit or add treatment steps and confuse similar words such as “medication” and “mediation”.

The Victorian Department of Health’s advisory for public health services goes further: Australian storage only, a mandatory privacy impact assessment, recorded consent with an opt-out, and a strong recommendation against letting vendors train models on patient data. It does not bind private practices, but it is a useful benchmark.

Buyer checklist.

Before you trial

Ask your MDO whether you need written consent and whether your cover extends to the scribe.
Ask the vendor in writing whether any feature suggests diagnoses, treatments, investigations or triage. If yes, ask for the ARTG entry.
Ask where audio, transcripts and notes are processed and stored, including subcontractors and the underlying AI model provider.
Ask whether audio is kept, how long transcripts and drafts are kept, and whether you can change that.
Ask whether your data is used to train or improve any model, and whether you can switch that off.
Ask for published evidence of accuracy in your specialty. Accuracy in general practice may not carry over to other specialties.
Confirm the integration works with your exact practice software and version. If you have to copy and paste, plan how to avoid pasting into the wrong patient’s record.
Get the full cost in writing: seat type, annual or monthly billing, GST, usage limits, integration add-ons and onboarding.

Before go-live

Complete a privacy impact assessment.
Update your privacy policy and collection notice.
Set one consent process for every clinician, with a way to record the answer and an alternative for patients who decline.
Train clinicians and front-desk staff, including on the risk of trusting the draft too readily.

Every day and every update

The treating clinician reviews and corrects every note before it is final.
After vendor updates, re-check whether new features suggest clinical content.
Keep a log of errors caught and report adverse events or near misses.
Before you sign, ask what happens to your data when you stop using the product.

Who can help set one up.

Most practices can switch a scribe on themselves. Outside help is useful when you need the integration, consent process, privacy impact assessment or staff training handled for several clinicians or sites. These listings have published healthcare AI work or a stated healthcare focus. We have not found a listing with published evidence of setting up a scribe product specifically, and we have not verified clinical outcomes.

Broadconnect publishes an “AI agents for healthcare” service covering call and workflow discovery, practice-system API integration, a limited pilot and rollout.
Envisyo describes healthcare-focused AI transformation and governance work: discovery, roadmaps, AI policies, risk assessment and human oversight.
Arinco publishes a case study of a six-week AI assessment for an unnamed regulated healthcare organisation, with prototypes and a phased roadmap.
WebAlive names healthcare AI examples including a knowledge chat for Genotype Health and staffing administration for LocumWest.
Tech TroubleShooters markets on-premises private AI to medical and dental practices and other organisations with sensitive data.

See all providers that list healthcare, then use the proposal checklist to compare them.

Common questions.

Is an AI scribe a medical device in Australia?

It depends on what it does. A scribe that only writes up what was said is not a device. One that suggests diagnoses, treatments or investigations is likely to be, according to the TGA.

Which AI scribes has the TGA said are medical devices?

None by name. Its October 2026 review covered 12 products and found eight likely had device functions, but it did not identify them.

Do I need patient consent every time?

The RACGP says to ask at the start of each consultation. Ask your MDO whether consent must be written; if not, the RACGP suggests recording verbal consent in the notes.

Is my patients’ data stored in Australia?

The four vendors in the table say so on their own pages. We have not verified those claims. Ask about subcontractors and the underlying AI model too.

How much does an AI scribe cost in Australia?

Published figures on 24 October 2026 ranged from free plans with limits to $200 a month for a specialist plan, before GST, with clinic plans priced separately. Check the billing period and GST before comparing.

Can I use ChatGPT as a medical scribe?

The OAIC recommends not entering personal or sensitive information into publicly available AI tools. Health information is sensitive information.

What is the best AI scribe in Australia?

We do not rank products. Use the table to find the products that fit your software and specialty, run the checklist, then trial one with real consultations and consent in place.

Want future practical buying resources? Join The Practical AI Brief. Signup is optional.

Sources and review scope

Find AI Consultants prepared this AI-assisted guide. All pages were checked on 24 October 2026. Descriptions reflect published material; we have not trialled any product, verified vendor claims or obtained a professional review. Ordinary links do not imply an affiliate relationship.

Find relevant consultants ↗