Published 2026-10-21. Vendor facts last checked 2026-10-19. Five sections, every claim sourced and labeled. See the methodology.
The Big Finding
Consent for an AI scribe is its own conversation, and the details change the answer. In a 2025 study at one academic health center, 81.6% of 103 patients consented to ambient AI documentation after a basic explanation, but only 55.3% did once details about AI features, data storage and corporate involvement were disclosed (JAMA Network Open, 2025). Professional guidance now expects that disclosure: APA's December 2025 scribe guidance asks clinicians to make clear the tool is optional and that clients can opt out later (APA guidance), and a July 2026 American Psychiatric Association resource document says consent should be documented and obtained for each use (APA resource document). Our new guide, AI scribe client consent in therapy, covers state recording laws, telehealth across state lines, what the form should cover, minors, couples and group sessions, 42 CFR Part 2, and how to document opt-outs.
Product Watch
- Doximity Scribe: New on the scorecard. We published a full Doximity Scribe review on October 16: Doximity Scribe (60/100, research score from public vendor pages). It is the easiest free starting point in our coverage for psychiatrists and PMHNPs who already have a Doximity account; expect to build your own psychiatric templates and paste notes into your EHR. Its Terms require you to get consent from everyone whose speech may be transcribed. Source, checked 2026-10-19. Documentation reviewed
- Sunoh.ai: Research score 20 to 35 on October 15. Its pricing page states "Business Associate Agreement (BAA) included", so it now passes our BAA ranking gate. Still $149 per user per month. Full Sunoh.ai review added October 16. Source, checked 2026-10-19. Documentation reviewed
- JotPsych: As added to our review on October 15, the pricing page lists JotAssure in early access on any plan (3.9% of the claims it pays you, for claims with a JotAudit-certified note) and insurance eligibility checks at $0.39 per check. Source, checked 2026-10-19. Documentation reviewed
- Nabla: An October 15 Nabla press release about a new integration was retracted by Nabla as distributed in error; we removed it from our review on October 16. Public pricing page still returns 404. Source, checked 2026-10-19. Ask vendor
Clinical Reality Check
A consent form at intake is not the end of it. In the same study, 59.2% of patients did not want their data shared with the vendor, and 35% said they would censor what they said about mental health (JAMA Network Open, 2025). The study did not focus on therapy, but the point carries: a new vendor, a change in what is captured, or new retention or training terms is a new circumstance, so ask again, and a short spoken check at the start of a session costs little. Details are in our consent guide.
Head-to-Head
Doximity Scribe vs Mentalyc vs Upheal for psychiatry. Start with Doximity Scribe if you are a verified physician or NP who wants a free scribe that records live visits, and you are fine pasting notes into your EHR and building your own psychiatric templates. Choose Mentalyc if you want psychiatry and psychiatric nurse templates, a no-training policy and a Chrome extension into your current EHR, and can pay from $19.99/mo after a trial. Choose Upheal if you want an all-in-one EHR or flat $39/mo AI Notes with a psychiatry note type; its free plan covers text, dictation and uploads only. Read the full Doximity Scribe vs Mentalyc vs Upheal comparison.
One Action This Week
Put a separate checkbox for model training on your AI scribe consent, and fill it in only after you have your vendor's training terms in writing. Some vendors make training opt-in and others opt-out, so check yours. Our consent guide lists what the form should cover, and the HIPAA and BAA guide covers the vendor side.
Also new on the site: a redesign on October 17 added a sticky navigation bar with Reviews in the main menu, a reviews index, scorecard filters and a downloadable PDF, a new Best picks page, and eClinicalWorks as an EHR choice in the Find my AI scribe quiz. No scores or ranks changed.