Digital Scribes in Australian Primary Care:
A Mixed Methods Survey of the Views and Experiences of Australian General Practitioners Using AI-Powered Clinical Documentation Tools
Participant Information and Consent Form
Research Team
Principal Investigator: Dr David Fraile Navarro
Institution: Centre for Health Informatics, Australian Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI), Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University
Contact: david.frailenavarro@mq.edu.au
Co-Investigator: Prof Enrico Coiera
Contact: enrico.coiera@mq.edu.au
Ethics Approval: To be assigned by Macquarie University HREC
Invitation to Participate
You are invited to participate in a research study conducted by Macquarie University investigating Australian general practitioners' opinions and experiences with digital scribes and AI-powered clinical documentation tools. If you decide to take part, you will answer questions about your experience and opinions regarding digital scribes in Australian primary care.
Study Overview
This study aims to understand how Australian GPs are using digital scribes in clinical documentation and their experiences with these AI-powered tools. Digital scribes are computer programs that listen to doctor–patient conversations and automatically create clinical notes, potentially improving efficiency and reducing documentation burden.
What will I be asked to do?
If you agree to participate, you will complete an online survey that will take approximately 3–5 minutes. The survey includes:
- Questions about your use of digital scribes in clinical documentation
- Your opinions and experiences regarding their impact on workflows, satisfaction, and cognitive burden
- Questions about error rates, efficiency, and patient privacy considerations
- Demographic questions (age range, gender, practice location, years in practice)
- An optional open-ended question for additional insights
Who can participate?
To participate you must:
- Be a currently registered general practitioner in Australia
- Be currently practicing in Australian primary care
- Have experience using digital scribes for clinical documentation in EHRs
Risks and Benefits
Risks: Minimal—no sensitive personal or clinical information is requested.
Benefits:
- Contribute to the first systematic study of digital scribe use in Australian primary care
- Inform healthcare policy and professional training needs
- Support evidence-based decisions about AI implementation in Australian healthcare
- Optional entry into a prize draw for one of three $500 gift vouchers
Confidentiality
This survey is completely anonymous. We do not collect your name, address, phone number, or any other identifying information with your responses.
If you choose to enter the prize draw, contact details will be collected separately from your survey responses, never linked, used only for the draw, and deleted within four weeks.
If you opt in to hear about future research, you may provide an email address. This email is stored securely in a separate contact list, is not linked to your survey answers, and will only be used to invite you to related studies. You can request removal from this list at any time by emailing the research team.
Anonymous data will be stored on password-protected researcher computers and shared via secure Microsoft SharePoint for 10 years, as required by university policy. Findings will be published only as aggregate statistics.
Voluntary Participation
Participation is voluntary. You may withdraw at any time without consequence, skip any question, or contact the research team with questions or concerns. If you withdraw, your partial responses will be removed from the analysis.
Results and Contact
Findings will support academic publications, inform healthcare policy, and guide professional development for Australian GPs. For any questions, contact:
Dr David Fraile Navarro — david.frailenavarro@mq.edu.au | (02) 9850 2469
Prof Enrico Coiera — enrico.coiera@mq.edu.au
For concerns about the conduct of the research, contact the Director, Research Ethics & Integrity, Macquarie University — ethics@mq.edu.au | (02) 9850 7854
Consent Checklist
Please confirm each statement before continuing to the survey.
- I have read and understand the information provided above.
- I understand that participation is voluntary and I may withdraw at any time without providing a reason.
- I understand this survey is anonymous and no identifying information will be collected with my responses.
- I agree that anonymised quotes may be used when reporting the findings.
- I understand that prize draw contact details (if provided) are collected separately, never linked to my responses, and deleted within four weeks of the draw.
- I understand that any email supplied for future research contact is stored separately from my survey answers and may be removed at my request.
- I understand anonymous study data will be retained for 10 years and securely disposed of per university policy.
Thank you for considering this study. You may close this page now if you do not wish to participate.