DSM-5 and specialty templates
A general-purpose AI scribe will not reliably capture psychiatric documentation. Templates need to hold symptoms, the mental status exam, diagnostic impressions, and the plan in the right places.
Use structured formats for medication management, psychotherapy, and integrated behavioral health so those fields stay consistent visit to visit.
Live notes and structured fields
The scribe should transcribe and structure history, symptoms, progress, and interventions during the visit so after-hours charting shrinks.
Structured fields also make analytics, outcome tracking, and billing more reliable than a wall of prose.
HIPAA and patient privacy
HIPAA is the floor. Look for encryption, auditable access controls, and a clear path for consent, recording, note generation, and export.
EHR export that does not add a second chart
The scribe should export or sync structured notes, medication lists, and diagnostic codes into the EHR you already use. Adoption drops when providers have to change how they chart.
Outcomes and an audit trail
You need longitudinal timelines, outcome measures, and an audit trail on every encounter. That is what chart review and payer documentation actually ask for.