We all know the promise of AI scribes: fewer clicks, faster notes, and more time for patients. 

But when we look at tech’s role in clinics, we have to ask the question: will it pull us away from the human side of care? 

This blog explores how care and innovation can coexist, along with a few mindful habits that can help clinicians focus on the patient, keep the conversation warm, and let AI handle the paperwork. 

Why bedside manner matters with AI 

Patients remember how you made them feel more than any lab result. AI scribes can significantly reduce documentation time and free you to focus on your patient, but only if you use them intentionally.

When clinicians stay present—maintaining eye contact and engaging in two-way conversation—patients actually report feeling that their doctor is more attentive when an AI scribe is in use. Without a plan, though, devices can become just another screen that competes with human connection and erodes trust.

Meta-analyses of randomized trials from the NIH show that strengthening the doctor–patient relationship and communication leads to measurable improvements in health outcomes, with patients experiencing small-to-moderate gains in symptom relief, functioning, and emotional well‑being.

How AI scribes change the clinical experience

Recent studies from JAMA Open Network show that ambulatory clinicians who used an ambient AI scribe for 30 days saw measurable improvements in workflow and clinician well-being.

Here's how that can impact the patient experience.

How to talk to patients when using an AI scribe 

One experimental study with a virtual physician found that a warmer, more empathetic bedside manner led to better patient perceptions and higher willingness to follow health recommendations.

Interaction style still matters just as much when we introduce new tools. Here are some helpful ways to incorporate an AI scribe into your natural visit flow

1. Set the stage early

Tell patients why the AI scribe is in the room. A brief, friendly explanation builds trust:

• “I use an AI clinician assistant that writes our notes in real time. It lets me focus on you, not the keyboard.”
• Keep the tone casual; there’s no need for a tech‑heavy monologue.

Sample script:
‍ "I'm using a secure AI tool called Freed to help document our visit today. It's HIPAA-compliant and listens to our conversation so I can focus entirely on you instead of typing. The recording is automatically deleted after your note is created. Does that sound okay to you?"

2. Position the device wisely

Place the microphone or tablet just out of the direct line of sight. This lets you maintain eye contact while the AI listens:

• Use a stand or a small lapel mic.
• Avoid hovering over the screen; let the patient see you, not the hardware.

3. Treat the scribe as a silent partner

Speak naturally, as you would without a recorder. The AI works in the background; you stay the primary communicator:

• Pause the scribe when you need a moment of silence or a sensitive discussion.
• Re‑engage eye contact after a brief pause to reassure the patient.

4. Use “check‑back” moments

At the end of the visit, quickly summarize the note with the patient. This shows you’re still the author of the care plan.

• “Here’s what the AI captured: you’re starting a low‑dose statin and we’ll follow up in three months. Does that sound right?”
• Adjust any inaccuracies on the spot.

"I can actually sit and make eye contact with my patients and their parents and interact with them,  without having to worry about keeping track of all of the details." – Liz F., Pediatric ER Nurse 

Building trust through consistency with AI scribes 

Before the visit

Use features like Freed’s smart visit prep to review patient history automatically. It summarizes previous notes, highlights relevant medications and history, and suggests follow-up items. 

For complex cases, use AI chat to query past documentation with questions like, "What pain strategies have we tried?" When your patients walk into the room, you’ll be aware of the patient’s health history and context. 

During the visit

Walk around the room. Ambient listening captures everything passively, even when patients talk during physical exams. This means you can move freely, maintain eye contact, and focus on reading emotional cues rather than mentally composing note language.

After the visit

Post-visit, an AI scribe can enable efficient review. For example, with Freed’s prompted edits, Make wide-sweeping changes with natural language prompts like "Make subjective more concise" or "Change medication to [correct name]." Better follow ups can ease patient anxiety. 

Team best practices

If you work in a group clinic, a quick 5-minute team huddle can surface new approaches. Share which templates work best, how to introduce the technology to patients, and strategies for efficient review. Use team templates to ensure consistency while still maintaining individual styles.

Privacy and security: How to use an AI medical scribe and maintain patient trust

Patient trust depends on transparency — with the tools we use and their data practices.

While Freed encourages obtaining consent before recording (and some jurisdictions require it), consent practices ultimately remain the responsibility of each clinic according to their policies.

Common consent approaches include:

• Verbal consent: "I'm using a secure AI tool to document our visit. Is that okay with you?"
• Clinic signage: Display notices that visits may be documented using ambient technology
• Intake forms: Include consent language in new patient paperwork

The key is clarity about what the technology does and how patient data stays protected.

💡 Read our FAQ on AI scribes and patient trust

HIPAA compliance and data safeguards

Freed meets or exceeds requirements under HIPAA, HITECH, and SOC 2 Type 2 certification. Here's what that means in practice:

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2-1.3) and at rest (AES-256)—the same standards banks use.
• No audio retention: Patient recordings are automatically deleted after note generation (typically within 60 seconds). Optional retention settings are available, but audio is never stored by default.
• No AI training on patient data: Protected health information is never used to train AI models. Freed follows strict de-identification protocols.
• Data ownership: Clinicians retain full ownership and can delete or export data at any time.
• Secure infrastructure: All processing occurs in HIPAA-compliant Microsoft Azure data centers within the United States, with signed Business Associate Agreements covering all vendors.

As one psychiatric nurse practitioner noted: "I have no worry about any audits whatsoever. I'm like, bring it because I know that the way they have gotten stuff laid out, it's done."

These safeguards are fundamental to maintaining patient trust while using AI documentation tools.

A real-world case study in bedside manner with an AI scribe

Dr. Cecily Kelly, a family medicine practice owner in Texas, used to end clinic with half her charts unfinished and a heavy mental load from trying to remember every detail of 20 daily visits. With Freed’s ambient listening technology running from the start of each encounter, she can now talk naturally with patients and move freely around the exam room during a visit. Freed’s visit summaries let her walk into follow‑ups “blindly” and instantly recall key context.

Because Freed listens continuously, it picks up emotional cues and nuance—like when patients are disgruntled, upset, or confused. This helps her documentation reflect the full story. In her words, Freed lets family medicine doctors “freely talk with a patient and form that relationship with them,” preserving bedside manner while the AI quietly handles the cognitive and documentation burden.

How Freed makes it easy to maintain bedside manner

AI scribes won't replace the human touch — and we don't want it to. Instead, it can be our partner in care — especially when we set expectations and keep the conversation centered on the patient.

Freed’s AI scribe is built for clinicians, not just for transcription. Get customizable, powerful notes that learn from your preferences and understand the nuances of your specialty.

Ready to keep the connection while gaining back minutes? Try Freed’s AI scribe today and see how effortless documentation can feel. Learn more and start a free trial.