Privacy & Security Tips

February, 2026

IPC Guidelines on AI Scribe Use for the Healthcare Sector 

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) recently published guidelines to provide a comprehensive framework for adopting AI scribe tools safely, ethically, and in compliance with Ontario's privacy regulations. Here are the key points:

• Build trust through strong governance and accountability. This means healthcare groups and organizations must establish clear governance and accountability measures before implementing AI scribes.  

• Choose and evaluate vendors carefully. Clinicians should assess if the technology aligns with their operational needs and privacy and security requirements.

• Manage privacy, security, and bias risks. Privacy impact assessments, bias testing, strong safeguards, and continuous monitoring of AI systems help to ensure they remain, safe, accurate, and fair.

• Clear expectations for developers and users must be set. For developers, it means creating safe and reliable products. For clinician users, it means thoroughly evaluating potential vendors and understanding their own accountability in obtaining patient consent and maintaining accurate medical notes generated by an AI scribe.  

Trust is fundamental to the Canadian healthcare system. Through initiatives like the Ontario AI Scribe Program, OMD continues to support clinicians in efficiently adopting digital health tools that support their needs and satisfy privacy and data handling obligations to patients.