Children’s Primary Care Medical Group (CPCMG) uses ambient documentation technology from Abridge to help clinicians create accurate visit notes while focusing on patients instead of typing. This article answers common questions about how the system works and how patient information is protected.
What is ambient documentation?
Ambient documentation allows the clinician to securely record the conversation during a visit. The system converts the conversation into:
A transcript of the visit
A structured clinical note that the clinician reviews and edits
A finalized note that is placed in the medical record
The clinician always reviews and approves the note before it becomes part of the chart.
Is this technology HIPAA-compliant?
Yes. The Abridge platform is designed for healthcare use and supports HIPAA compliance.
Key protections include:
HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with our organization
Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Secure cloud infrastructure with enterprise security controls
Governance and access controls to protect patient information
These protections apply to any protected health information (PHI) processed during the documentation workflow.
What information is recorded?
During a visit where ambient documentation is used, the system processes:
The audio of the clinical conversation
A text transcript
An AI-generated clinical summary
Only the final clinician-approved note becomes part of the patient’s medical record.
How is patient data used?
Patient data is used only to generate documentation for the visit.
According to Abridge policies:
Patient data is not sold
Any research or development uses de-identified data unless explicit consent is obtained
Data is shared only as required to operate the service and support clinical documentation
How long are recordings kept?
In our practice:
Audio recordings and transcripts are automatically deleted after 30 days.
The final clinical note remains in the medical record, just like any other documentation.
This retention policy limits the amount of recorded data stored while allowing time for quality assurance if needed.
Can patients decline recording?
Yes. If a patient prefers not to have the visit recorded, they can tell the clinician. The clinician can simply document the visit manually instead.
Why do we use this technology?
Ambient documentation helps clinicians:
Spend more time focused on patients
Reduce time spent typing notes
Improve documentation accuracy and completeness
Many patients find it helps make visits more conversational and less computer-focused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request a copy of the recording or transcript of the visit?
Our practice does not provide copies of the audio recording or transcript.
The recording and transcript are used only temporarily to help the clinician create the visit note and are not part of the official medical record. The official record is the clinician-reviewed note placed in the patient’s chart.
We limit access to recordings for several reasons:
To protect patient and family privacy, since recordings may include multiple people in the room
To maintain medical record integrity, as transcripts may contain errors or background conversation
To reduce security and compliance risk
In our system, recordings and transcripts are automatically deleted after 30 days. If you would like documentation from the visit, you can request the finalized clinical note through the patient portal or medical records process.
Why do clinicians ask for verbal permission to record at each visit?
State law requires that everyone involved in a conversation agree before it can be recorded. Because of this, clinicians must confirm verbal permission at the start of each visit, even if a written consent form was previously signed.
This ensures that patients and families always have the opportunity to decline recording for that visit. If you prefer not to be recorded, the clinician can simply document the visit in the traditional way.
Questions or concerns
If you have questions about how ambient documentation is used in our practice, please ask your clinician or contact our office. We are committed to using technology that improves care while protecting patient privacy and security.
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