A Melbourne psychiatrist is requiring new patients to consent to AI note-taking in their sessions or be referred elsewhere.
Dr. Hemlata Ranga, who practices at the Melbourne Clinic in Richmond, updated her registration form to require permission for AI transcription software to assist with clinical documentation. Patients who refuse are told to arrange a referral to a different service provider.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners reports that two in five general practitioners now use AI scribes, with usage doubling in the past year.
One patient, who asked to remain anonymous, objected to the requirement but has not sought another psychiatrist due to long waitlists and the difficulty of finding mental healthcare. They described the policy as “weird” and defensive, suggesting Ranga may have faced prior objections.
Dr. Tom Kelly, co-founder of Heidi AI, one of the most popular scribes used in 115 million sessions worldwide, says data is processed locally and not used to train AI or sold. The company relies on third-party security audits.
Tom Sulston, head of policy at Digital Rights Watch, warns of risks including data breaches, inaccuracies-especially for non-white, non-English-speaking patients-and patient self-censorship. He argues no one should be denied healthcare for refusing AI, calling for stronger regulation.