Skip to main content

AI Scribe Fundamentals

Understanding the basics of using AI Scribe effectively

Written by Martha Galewski

This article gives you an overview of what the AI Scribe is and how to use it effectively in your practice.

Table of contents:

Section

Link

1

What is the AI Scribe?

2

First-time setup of the AI Scribe

3

Supported microphones

4

Setting up your microphone

5

Important terms and concepts

6

Tips and Best Practices

7

Reporting an issue

8

Contacting our Support team

9

Demo video

10

Important links

What is the AI Scribe?

The AI Scribe is a new clinical notes tool to be used by clinicians to capture general notes (called Free form notes) as well as procedure specific notes (called Dynamic Templates).

Setting up AI Scribe for the first time

In order to activate and use the AI Scribe, you will need a license key. Your 32-character license key (e.g. XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX) will be sent to you after signing up in your welcome email. If you lose or cannot find your license key, follow the steps outlined in the 'How to Retrieve Your Bola AI License Key' section below.

An image of what our welcome email looks like:

Your license key will be shown in GREEN in your welcome email. Make sure to save your license key in a secure location to avoid future inconvenience.

If you do not have a license key:

  1. But you have signed up already - contact Support for assistance at support@bola.ai

  2. You have not signed up yet - sign up for a demo today to get started

  3. If you have lost your license key, refer to the 'How to Retrieve Your Bola AI License Key' section for detailed steps.

To activate the AI Scribe:

  1. Open your welcome email and copy the license key

  2. Navigate to https://scribe.bola.ai/ to input your license key in the License Key field

  3. Once your full 32-digit key has been entered, click Activate

  4. Read and check the checkbox to agree to the Terms of Use

  5. Click Continue

  6. Start transcribing notes!

Important note: The AI Scribe will need to be activated on each computer's browser. This is a one-time setup but if you use different computers or browsers regularly, you should set it up on them as well.

How to Retrieve Your Bola AI License Key

If you need to retrieve your Bola AI license key for installation, reinstallation, or any other purpose, there are two primary methods to locate it. Follow the steps below to resolve the issue efficiently.

Step 1: Search Your Welcome Email

Your Bola AI license key is included in the welcome email you received when your account was created. To locate it:

  1. Open your email inbox.

  2. Search for the welcome email from Bola AI. Use keywords such as "Bola AI" or "welcome" to narrow down the results.

  3. Once you find the email, look for the section containing your license key. This is typically highlighted or included in the account setup instructions. If you cannot find the welcome email or if it has been deleted, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Request Your License Key from Support

If you are unable to locate your license key in the welcome email, you can request it to be resent by contacting Bola AI support. Follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Bola AI support page or use the contact information provided on the official website.

  2. Submit a request to retrieve your license key. Be sure to include the following information for verification:

    • Registered email address

    • Phone Number

    • Physical Address

    • Any other account details that may help identify your account

  3. Wait for the support team to verify your information and resend your license key.

Additional Tips

  • Ensure that you check your spam or junk folder when searching for the welcome email.

  • Keep your license key in a secure location once retrieved to avoid future inconvenience. By following these steps, you should be able to retrieve your Bola AI license key without any issues. If you encounter further difficulties, do not hesitate to reach out to Bola AI support for assistance.

Microphones supported for the AI Scribe

The AI Scribe works with any microphone so long as it is active and unmuted. However, see below for our recommendations on mic setups for certain situations.

Scenario

Noise level

Recommended Mic Setup

Notes will be taken at the computer in your office

Low

  1. Computer mic - using your computer's built-in mic will work well

  2. For optimal results, we recommend a mic with active noise cancellation

  3. For ambient notes- we recommend the Philips Smartmike Duo microphone

Notes will be taken at the computer in your office (shared office or open-office format)

High

We recommend a mic with active noise cancellation

Notes will be taken chair-side at the operatory (closed format)

Low

  1. Computer mic - using your computer's built-in mic will work well

  2. For optimal results, we recommend a mic with active noise cancellation

Notes will be taken chair-side at the operatory (open-office format)

High

We recommend a mic with active noise cancellation

Setting up your mic

Setting up your microphone with the AI Scribe is quick and easy.

  1. Before getting started, make sure your microphone is charged and connected to your computer

  2. Navigate to the AI Scribe homepage

  3. Click on Advanced Settings to see which microphone is connected

  4. Select the mic you would like to use with the AI Scribe and then click Save changes

Testing your mic input

If the sound bars on the homepage of AI Scribe or within Advanced Settings are moving as you speak, your input is active and being picked up properly.

If not, make sure your mic is turned on, unmuted, and paired with your device.

Important terms and concepts

To get the best out of your experience while using the AI Scribe, you need to know a few important terms and principles.

Term/concept

Definition

Key takeaway

Free form templates

Free form templates are templates intended to capture a raw transcription and then turn this content into a specific output format.
​
The following free form templates are on the homepage of the AI Scribe:
1. Quick note
2. SOAP note
3. Exam note

Free form templates are great for:
1. Capturing a quick in-person or phone encounter with a patient

2. Emergency notes
3. Surgery notes
4. Complex notes where all details need to be captured

Procedure notes

Procedure notes are procedure-specific templates such as Fillings, Root Canals, Crowns, etc.

Use these templates for specific exam types or procedures.
​
Bola currently supports:
1. Fillings (composite and glass)

2. Root Canals (fillings and post and core)

3. Crowns (permanent)

4. Crowns (temporary)

Clinical map

This is a visual tool in AI Scribe that indicates what information needs to be covered to make your note complete

Reference the Clinical Map to make sure your note covers all pertinent details

Dynamic or "trigger" field

This is a field within a dynamic template only that when spoken dynamically generates the rest of the template for you to complete.
​
For example, specifying "composite" in the Fillings template for the filling type will generate content relating to composite (resin) fillings.

Make sure you speak these fields while transcribing dynamic templates to generate the rest of the note

Tips and Best Practices

GENERAL

  1. Having a quality microphone is essential. If you're having trouble with your built-in microphone while taking notes (such as the Scribe not understanding you, misspelling words, not hearing you, etc.), try one of our recommended noise-canceling microphones for better results.

  2. Saving Your Progress. Did you accidentally close your browser, or tab, or refresh the page? No worries! AI Scribe automatically saves your progress locally. Just reopen the Scribe app, and you'll pick up right where you left off.

When progress is discarded
The AI Scribe will only discard your progress on the transcript and/or note page in the following scenarios:

  1. You are working with the Scribe in an incognito window in your browser and close the browser or tab

  2. You clear your cache and cookies in your browser's history

  3. You click Restart to return to the homepage

  4. Though uncommon, some apps may clear cache and cookies with major version updates

FREE FORM TEMPLATES

  1. Highlight and replace - made a mistake or something is off? No problem! If something is incorrect or misinterpreted, simply highlight the word or section you'd like to replace and click the mic icon to quickly re-transcribe that information. Click the mic again to stop replacing content.

    2. Keep in mind that you can also manually edit the transcript, note, and patient summary as well

  2. Clinical map updates - is the clinical map not updating as expected? It may be because the AI takes anywhere from 10-15 seconds

DYNAMIC TEMPLATES

  1. Specificity is key. Instead of just saying "OM2" for a tooth shade, try saying "tooth shade is OM2". Talk to the AI Scribe like you would talk to your dental assistant. Getting used to specifying details in your template will help ensure the AI Scribe always has full context on what you are saying and it also prevents the Scribe from getting confused or making mistakes.

  2. Pausing periodically. The AI Scribe is quick and can keep up with even the fastest talkers but he/she may still need to catch up periodically. We recommend pausing every once in a while to make sure AI Scribe is caught up to fill out fields correctly. This will also help the AI Scribe mark off the clinical map more frequently as it processes what was covered compared to what hasn't been said yet.

  3. Correcting/changing fields. If you have already mentioned some information in your template BUT realized it is incorrect or otherwise needs to change, try this format to make changes by saying: "Change x to y" (for example, "change tooth shade from OM1 to A2").

  4. Optional fields - you may notice "optional" fields in the clinical map. If these are relevant to your exam, mention this information while transcribing so it is captured in the note. Otherwise, disregard and the AI Scribe will leave it out of the note entirely.

Reporting an issue

Did something go wrong? Found a bug while using the AI Scribe?

Report an issue by clicking the Report an issue button to send feedback directly to our engineering team.

Make sure you include as specific details in the form fill as possible so our team knows what you were doing and what you expected versus what happened.

Contacting our Support team

Have a question? We've got your back.

Click on the Help icon at the bottom right of the screen in AI Scribe to get help from our support team.

Demo Video:

Important links:

Related Articles
Legacy Scribe: Exam Note Overview
Activating the AI Scribe
Patient Consent: Recording with Bola AI Scribe
New Scribe :Step by Step Guide
Did this answer your question?