Ontario AI Scribe Program FAQs

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Purpose

Ontario continues to take steps to help connect physicians with digital tools and build a convenient, comprehensive and connected healthcare system. In partnership with Supply Ontario and OntarioMD (OMD), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ontario Health (OH) established the Ontario AI Scribe Program to help connect clinicians to artificial intelligence (AI) scribe technology by pre-qualified vendors to help put patients before paperwork.  

These identified vendors offer clinicians AI scribe options that meet a set of clinical, privacy and security requirements – at a fair price. 

The program offers clinicians these benefits:

  • Relieves the burden and takes the guesswork out of sourcing AI technology
  • Minimizes exposure to risk, with pre-negotiated contracts
  • Saves money and time on doing their own legal due diligence
  • Support throughout the AI scribe selection and implementation processes

Supply Ontario is a provincial Crown agency that supports procurement activities for the provincial government. It led the procurement process for AI scribes on behalf of the MOH. The two-stage process included the evaluation of AI scribe vendors who responded to a request for bids from Supply Ontario, resulting in a vendor of record (VOR) list of qualified AI scribe vendors who met provincial requirements for clinical functions, privacy and data security. The second stage invited clinicians to participate in the procurement process by enabling access to the approved VOR list of AI scribe vendors and products to help them choose one that meets their practice needs.  

OMD worked with OH to help Supply Ontario develop the requirements for clinical functions, privacy and data security and other medico-legal considerations for the AI scribe vendors. OMD is providing clinicians with free change management advice to help integrate AI scribes efficiently into their practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Ontario AI Scribe Program

The Ontario AI Scribe Program was established by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ontario Health (OH) to connect clinicians with AI scribes to build a convenient, comprehensive and connected healthcare system. MOH worked with Supply Ontario and OntarioMD (OMD) on the procurement process to identify approved vendors for a Vendor of Record (VOR) list, and to provide support services to clinicians who adopt an AI scribe from the VOR list. 

Supply Ontario is a Crown agency created by the Government of Ontario, under the Supply Chain Management Act, 2019. Its mandate is to strengthen and centralize supply chain management and procurement across the public sector, ensuring that Ontario ministries, agencies, hospitals, school boards, children’s aid societies and more, have access to high-quality, timely, and reliable products at the best value. Supply Ontario leverages provincial purchasing power to support the public sector in delivering programs Ontarians can rely on, while addressing procurement barriers for businesses and building a resilient, adaptable supply chain. Supply Ontario is accountable to the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement. 

OntarioMD is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ontario Medical Association and receives funding from the Province of Ontario to support community-based family physicians, specialists, nurse practitioners and their staff to adopt and optimize the use of digital health technology to improve patient care. The company is a national leader in advancing artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies for primary care to reduce their administrative burden.

OntarioMD works with more than 20,000 physicians and other clinicians and practice staff. With more than 20 years of proven success in deploying digital health solutions, and providing change management support to clinicians, OntarioMD’s achievements are contributing to a more connected health system. 

Clinicians can realize many benefits from using an AI scribe, using the VOR list and participating in the Ontario AI Scribe Program established by MOH and OH:

  • Reduce Your Administrative Burden: Select the AI scribe that is right for you and your practice to spend more time on patient care. You can reduce the time you spend on paperwork by 70% or more, or almost four hours a week. 
  • Clinical Functions: The vendors and products on the VOR list were evaluated against a set of clinical functions developed by physicians for physicians.
  • Compliance with Provincial Requirements: The vendors and products on the VOR list had to satisfy provincial requirements for clinical functions, privacy of personal health information, security and other legal considerations. A variety of stakeholders provided input to develop the requirements that align with medico-legal obligations of physicians. 
  • Fair Pricing: The program takes the guesswork out and relieves the burden of sourcing this technology, saving clinicians both money and time. 
  • Peace of Mind: Vendors on the VOR list and their contracts were evaluated by legal and privacy experts so you don’t have to. 
  • Streamlined support: Support to adopt and use an AI scribe is provided at every step of the process, if needed. Supply Ontario helps clinicians select the AI scribe best suited to their practice needs. OMD can answer questions about AI scribes, help manage changes to the practice and workflows during adoption, and provide ongoing advice to optimize AI scribe use.

The VOR list of AI scribe vendors from Supply Ontario was published on June 3, 2025. Please visit the OMD Practice Hub at www.omdpracticehub.com to sign up before completing the Supply Ontario Intake form to assist with evaluating your needs before purchasing your AI scribe.

Vendors and their products were evaluated by Supply Ontario, against provincial requirements for clinical functions, privacy and data security. A variety of stakeholders provided input to develop the requirements so they could be aligned with medico-legal obligations of physicians.

The Ontario AI Scribe Program’s VOR arrangement was established through an open and competitive procurement process, allowing domestic and international suppliers to submit bids to become qualified vendors. This qualified list of approved vendors comprises only those who successfully met the standards and adhered to the technical, clinical, privacy, and security requirements of the procurement process. No vendor was excluded from the process due to geographic location. This open, transparent and fair process assures clinicians who opt into the program that the VOR list includes qualified vendors committed to compliance.

No, not at this time. Any future financial incentives are at the discretion of the Ministry of Health.

The cost of using an AI scribe tool will vary depending on the tool’s functionality and from one AI scribe vendor to the next. Supply Ontario has established a minimum discount with each vendor for the Ontario AI Scribe Program. As the industry evolves rapidly, pricing may change frequently. To ensure you benefit from the best available fair pricing, Supply Ontario included strong pricing language in the contracts with vendors.

No, there is no limit to the number of clinicians who can participate in the Ontario AI Scribe Program and access the AI scribe VOR list, as it is meant to inform clinicians about AI scribe vendors and products that have met evaluation criteria for clinical functions, privacy and data security.

Yes. MOH and OH are working with Supply Ontario and OntarioMD to help you navigate the Ontario AI Scribe Program. Both organizations can guide you at different steps of the process. OntarioMD has guided and assisted clinicians with the selection of digital health tools and changes to practice workflows during adoption for over 20 years. 

Please visit the OMD Practice Hub at www.omdpracticehub.com for information about AI scribes and the Ontario AI Scribe Program. To request more information and help from OntarioMD, please contact support@ontariomd.com. 

Yes, you can receive complimentary change management advice from OntarioMD if you already have an AI scribe, regardless of whether it’s on the Ontario AI Scribe Program’s VOR list. Supply Ontario can also work with you to transition your AI Scribe to the VOR program. Please visit the OMD Practice Hub for useful resources to help you use your AI scribe. If you still need help, please contact support@ontariomd.com. 

OntarioMD, in partnership with the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) (now known as Amplify Care) and Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV), was chosen to lead the province’s first-ever AI Scribe Evaluation Study. This study was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH) through Ontario Health due to their digital health expertise and successful adoption and change management track record with primary care. Key findings included almost four hours of time savings per week by the study participants and a 70%+ reduction in documentation time. Details about the AI Scribe Evaluation Study are available at https://www.ontariomd.ca/pages/ai-scribes-promising-results.aspx.

OntarioMD also worked with Supply Ontario and Ontario Health on the requirements for clinical functions, privacy and data security that vendors had to meet to be included on the VOR list. We have been educating clinicians about AI scribes through webinars, articles, our conferences and our Advisory Service teams. Visit the OMD Practice Hub to learn about AI scribes and their benefits. OntarioMD also worked with Supply Ontario and Ontario Health on the requirements for clinical functions, privacy and data security that vendors had to meet to be included on the VOR list. We have been educating clinicians about AI scribes through webinars, articles, our conferences and our Advisory Service teams. Visit the OMD Practice Hub to learn about AI scribes and their benefits.

Yes, all clinicians can purchase AI scribe products from the Ontario AI Scribe Program. OntarioMD is helping community-based clinicians to participate in the program and provide complimentary change management services after they purchase an AI scribe product.

If you’re not a primary care clinician, you can still participate in the program to access the VOR list. Specialists and allied health professionals are welcome to access the list. Supply Ontario allows licenced health practitioners, medical professional corporations, unincorporated associations of healthcare practitioners, and various not-for-profit entities providing primary care services in Ontario to participate in the program.

Purchasing an AI scribe using the VOR list is optional. You can still purchase solutions that are not on the VOR list, however, clinicians are encouraged to use the VOR list due to its benefits and streamlined process. Please note that Supply Ontario does not provide support for acquiring solutions outside of the Ontario AI Scribe Program.

No, you do not have to participate in the Ontario AI Scribe Program; however, you will need to negotiate your own contract and conduct your own due diligence with respect to compliance. 

For details on the vendor contracts, please contact Supply Ontario after you have expressed your interest in the Ontario AI Scribe Program.

Supply Ontario will give new vendors the opportunity to be included on the VOR list during the optional Vendor Refresh process. Supply Ontario will determine the timing and frequency based on needs.

MOH and OH established the program to connect clinicians to AI scribe technology to help family physicians and nurse practitioners put patients before paperwork. Various partners provided input to develop the requirements that align with physicians’ medico-legal obligations.

A variety of stakeholders provided input to develop the requirements that align with medico-legal obligations of physicians.

For information about Infoway’s AI Scribe Program, please visit: https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/featured-initiatives/ai-scribe-program. 

Expression of Interest Form and Process

Supply Ontario and OntarioMD would like to gauge clinician interest in the VOR list and would like to contact you if there are any important changes or announcements that could impact your purchase of an AI scribe.

You can find the expression of interest under How to get started from the Ontario AI Scribe Program page, or complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) Form.

After you complete and submit the expression of interest form, you will see a message that confirms your form was submitted successfully and describes the next step for participation in the Program. You will also receive an automated email with information that includes the link to the Supply Ontario Intake form. OntarioMD advisors are available to support you along the way if you have questions. 

Yes, you can complete the expression of interest form on behalf of someone else in your clinic. 

No, there is currently no deadline for completing the expression of interest form.

When OntarioMD representatives provide services to support your clinic/practice, they may come into contact with personal health information (PHI). The PCA ensures all PHI shall be treated as strictly confidential and OntarioMD representatives will comply with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) while assisting you. 

Schedule 7 to the PCA in the context of the AI Scribe VOR Program acknowledges that in filling out the form, you confirm that all information provided in the form is accurate, and you agree that clinicians interested in purchasing an AI scribe via the VOR are all currently licenced as regulated healthcare providers in Ontario. You are also confirming that you are authorized to contract and provide information if you are doing so on behalf of others.

Privacy and Security 

AI scribe products on the VOR list were evaluated against privacy and security considerations, including those related to data destruction protocols and cybersecurity risk — this includes adhering to regulations around privacy laws. Vendors on the list are required to undergo regular threat risk assessments conducted by independent third parties and are prohibited from storing or using patient data for any purpose beyond providing AI scribe services. 

Maintaining the privacy and security of patient data should be the top priority. Find out how to find tools and services that comply with your legal, regulatory, and professional obligations on the OMD Practice Hub. The site contains useful information about legal and privacy considerations as well as legal and privacy resources.

Vendors on the AI scribe list were assessed against requirements developed for the program, including those with respect to privacy, security and regulatory standards. The goal was to reasonably minimize the risk for clinicians who use AI scribe products in clinical practice.

AI Scribe Technology

AI scribes are digital tools designed to automate the administrative tasks of documenting patient consultations. They use artificial intelligence to summarize, or capture spoken conversations with consenting patients into electronic and clinically relevant medical notes for healthcare professionals. 

AI scribes use speech-to-text and AI technologies to transcribe physician-patient conversations, with consenting patients, into detailed and meaningful clinical notes.

For physicians, this could help to:

  • Minimize the burden of administrative tasks and other documentation. 
  • Increase engagement and interaction time with patients instead of computers. 
  • Reduce cognitive load.
  • Improve accuracy of documentation details during patient visits. 

Dictation software and AI scribe solutions differ in their functionalities within health care. Traditional dictation software serves as a real-time voice-to-text converter, transcribing exactly what the clinician dictates. It requires the user to explicitly dictate notes and often necessitates subsequent editing to correct errors and structure the information. In contrast, AI scribe solutions leverage AI technologies (such as NLP and LLMs) to capture clinical encounters in real-time. AI scribes not only transcribe speech but also analyze and process content, isolating relevant medical information from conversations and generating concise, structured medical notes based on customizable templates. 

Many AI scribe solutions are designed to work with EMR systems, but integration varies by vendor. Some AI scribes function externally, requiring users to ‘copy and paste’ notes into the chart, while others offer direct EMR integration for added functionality. OntarioMD can help identify the best solution for you.

According to the OntarioMD-led AI scribe study, in partnership with the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) (now known as Amplify Care) and Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV), AI scribes led to a 70% reduction in documentation time during clinical encounters. Primary care clinicians also reported saving an average of close to four hours per week on administrative tasks. This reduction in documentation workload helps clinicians spend more time on patient care and alleviates their administrative burden, contributing to improved work-life balance and reduced burnout.

The final report for the AI Scribe Evaluation Study, compiled by Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WIHV), in collaboration with the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) (now known as Amplify Care), for OntarioMD, found:

  • 83% of study participants said they would use an AI scribe in their practice, long term. 
  • 82% of participants said they would recommend using an AI scribe to their colleagues. 
  • 79% of participants reported that they were able to spend more time on patient care. 
  • 70% to 90% reduction in documentation time, and physicians reported 3 to 4 hours per week saved doing administrative tasks. 
  • 76% of participants reported reduced cognitive load during patient consultation. 

For more information on AI scribes, please visit the OMD Practice Hub at www.OMDpracticehub.com. You can also contact your local OntarioMD Advisor, or support@ontariomd.com. 

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