Vendor capabilities from each company's published information and partner listings (Heidi, Lyrebird, MedicalDirector/Telstra Health Smart Scribe).
Ambient AI scribes listen to the consult and draft your note. The market moves fast and almost every "best scribe" list online is written by a vendor — so here's a neutral, GP-owned view: the governance you must get right first, then how the main Australian options compare.
You own the record. You're liable for errors even if the AI generated them — read, correct and sign off every note before it's saved.
Consent every time. Get the patient's consent before each consult and re-consent each visit; if consent is withdrawn, stop and delete the recording. Recording can engage your state's listening/surveillance-device laws.
Know where the data lives. Ask where audio and notes are stored, for how long, whether they train models, and how they're destroyed — get it in writing, and prefer Australian hosting.
Label and document. Indicate AI was involved in the note, and make sure records still meet medico-legal documentation standards.
Regulatory status. Pure transcription isn't a TGA medical device; a tool that interprets or suggests clinical content may need to be on the ARTG.
The short version: for most GP clinics the choice comes down to your practice software. On Best Practice (Premier), Lyrebird is available free through an official partnership. On MedicalDirector, Smart Scribe is built in and lets you choose the engine (e.g. Heidi). Heidi works as a standalone scribe across both and beyond. Filter by your PMS below.
🔍 Compare
Your practice software (PMS)
Free tier
Data hosting
Audience
Heidi HealthAU-built
Free tierBest Practice + MedicalDirectorSOC2 / ISO 27001
Australian-developed and the most widely used here; built for the GP market, now multi-specialty. Generous free tier (free for students & registrars), works alongside Best Practice and via MedicalDirector Smart Scribe. States it doesn't store session recordings and aligns to the Australian Privacy Principles. Verify current pricing & data terms with the vendor.
Free for BP PremierAustralian data hostingGP-built
Australian, founded for general practice. Available free to every Best Practice Premier clinic through an official partnership, and stores data in Australia. Free tier plus paid Pro. Verify current pricing & data terms with the vendor.
Built into MedicalDirectorChoose your engineTelstra Health
Built into MedicalDirector Clinical (via the SmartBar) and lets you choose the AI engine (e.g. Heidi or IntelliTek). Data stored in Australian data centres under Telstra Health's clinical-governance policies. Verify current pricing with the vendor.
Nothing matches all those filters — try widening one.
Others in the market. This is a fast-moving space with many entrants — for example TeleScribe (Australian, clinician-built), Medow Health (specialist-focused), PatientNotes (allied health / Cliniko) and IntelliTek/SmartTek21. We've featured the options most established in Australian general practice; for any tool, confirm Australian data hosting, PMS integration and the governance points above directly with the vendor before you trial it.
📝 What to ask any vendor before you trial
Where is the audio and the note stored (which country), and when is each deleted?
Is my data used to train models? Can I opt out, and is it the default?
Is data encrypted in transit and at rest? Which security certifications (e.g. SOC 2, ISO 27001)?
Does it write back into my PMS, or is it copy-paste?
What accuracy validation or published evidence exists for general practice?
If it does more than transcribe (interprets or suggests), is it listed on the ARTG?
⚠️ This is a fast-moving market: pricing, features, integrations, ownership and data-hosting arrangements change often. This page reflects publicly stated information as at June 2026 and isn't exhaustive. Confirm current details with each vendor and follow the RACGP guidance. Listing is information, not endorsement or advice.