Voice Recording & Dictation

Voice recording lets you speak naturally about a patient visit and have the AI convert your dictation into structured clinical content. Instead of typing a visit summary, just talk through what happened during the session.

How to Use Voice Recording (extension)

1. Open the extension. On the Visit screen, pick the patient with the switcher at the top.
2. Click Voice Scribe in the bottom-right corner of the Visit Summary box. Voice Scribe opens.
3. Click Start recording and speak naturally about the visit. Describe what you did, how the patient responded, any changes in status, and your clinical observations.
4. Click the button at the bottom to pause, then click Finish. The AI transcribes your speech and shows you the transcript.
5. Fix anything that needs it, then click Save Transcription.

The transcript is added to the end of whatever is already in the Visit Summary box. Anything you typed before recording is kept. From there, click Write Note or Fill EHR, giving the AI specific details from today’s visit to work with.

In the app, tap Voice Scribe in the visit summary box on the Visit screen. It opens with the patient you picked already selected.

Seeing the Recording on Your iPhone Lock Screen

While the app records, your iPhone’s lock screen (and the Dynamic Island on newer iPhones) shows a small card with Recording or Paused, the patient’s name, and the running time, so you can confirm the visit is still being captured without unlocking. Tap it to jump back to Voice Scribe. The first time, iOS asks whether to allow Live Activities from SOAP Note Buddy; choose Allow. Requires iOS 16.2 or later.

Using a Saved Recording (extension)

Next to Voice Scribe, in the bottom-right corner of the Visit Summary box, is a dropdown of the patient’s saved recordings. Choose one to drop it into the box. Once one is chosen, a pencil icon next to the dropdown lets you edit the selected transcript before you write the note or fill.

To start the next visit with an empty box, clear the box first. Notes you already generated stay in Saved Notes.

Extension vs. App: Which to Use for Voice

Both the browser extension and the mobile apps can record and transcribe your voice, but they’re suited to different situations:

• Browser extension: best for quick dictations to capture visit details. You speak a short summary of the visit and the AI structures it.
• iOS / Android app: best for longer recordings (over about 5 minutes) or background conversations with patients. On iPhone and iPad the app records continuously in the background, so it can capture an entire ambient visit even if your screen locks or you switch apps. On Android, keep the app open while recording for now, because recording pauses when the app goes to the background.

When you start a recording in the extension, you may see a one-time tip recommending the app for longer or background recordings. You can dismiss it with “Don’t show this again” if you’d rather not see it. Both tools transcribe with the same AI; the difference is how long and how hands-free the recording can be.

Saving a Recording to a New Patient

In the iOS and Android apps, after you review a transcription you can save it to an existing patient or to a brand-new one. Choosing + New Patient opens the Add Patient form. Enter the name (and a patient summary or context documents if you like), save, and the recording is filed to the new patient. Recording from an existing patient’s record saves the transcription directly to that patient.

In the browser extension, recording from the Visit screen saves the transcript to the patient you picked and adds it to the Visit Summary box. To record for a new patient, choose + New Patient in the patient switcher first.

How Long Transcription Takes

Most transcriptions finish in under 30 seconds. The very first transcription after a quiet period can take a little longer while our transcription service warms up; after that, transcriptions are quick.

Your audio is deleted as soon as the transcription finishes. It’s only used to produce the transcript and is never kept.

Tips for Best Results

• Speak naturally. You do not need to use formal clinical language. The AI will structure your observations into proper documentation terminology.
• Be specific. Mention exercises performed, sets and reps, patient tolerance, assist levels, and measurable observations. The more detail you provide, the better the generated note will be.
• Minimize background noise. Find a reasonably quiet space for dictation. The transcription works best with clear audio.
• Keep it focused. Stay on topic for the current patient and visit. You can always record again if you need to add more detail.
• Review the transcription. Check that the AI captured your dictation accurately, especially for medical terminology and proper nouns. In the app, the transcript scrolls freely; tap any sentence to edit it (the cursor lands at the end of that sentence), then tap Done above the keyboard to go back to reading.

Voice recording is available in the browser extension, and a fuller version (Voice Scribe) is built into the iOS and Android apps for hands-free recording during patient visits.