Table of contents
Table of contents
Need advice before you get started?
Book an appointment
Need advice before you get started?
Book an appointment
For the past few months, medical assistants using artificial intelligence have been taking on a growing role in clinics and healthcare facilities. Two approaches are particularly common: AI medical scribes, which mainly operate during the consultation, and pre-consultation assistants, which prepare the appointment beforehand.
Both can help save medical time, but they do not address quite the same problem. The scribe primarily seeks to reduce the burden associated with documenting the consultation. Pre-consultation aims to better prepare the patient, the information, and sometimes the organisation of the consultation even before it begins.
This distinction appears in the work of the HAS and the CNIL on artificial intelligence in healthcare: among the uses of generative AI, they distinguish transcription and assisted drafting of consultations, but also conversational tools for gathering information during pre-consultations. (1)
What is an AI medical scribe?
Historically, a medical scribe is a person responsible for accompanying a healthcare professional to document their consultation. Digital medical scribes, sometimes called ambient AI scribes, now automate part of this work using artificial intelligence.
Depending on the solution used, the system can analyse the conversation between the doctor and the patient and then generate a draft consultation report, structured clinical note, medical letter or summary for the patient record. The objective is to prevent the professional from having to manually transcribe a large part of what has just been said.
Do medical scribes actually save time?
Early studies show a benefit in terms of time spent on documentation, but the results are more nuanced than the communication surrounding these tools sometimes suggests.
In a study published in 2025 involving 46 professionals across 17 specialties, using an ambient scribe was associated with a 20.4% reduction in time spent on notes per appointment, from 10.3 to 8.2 minutes, and a 30% reduction in documentation time after the working day. (2)
However, a randomised trial published in NEJM AI in late 2025 involving 238 doctors across 14 specialties provides a more measured view. With Nabla, time spent on notes decreased by 9.5% compared to the control group, from about 4 min 30 to 3 min 49; for Microsoft DAX Copilot, the difference was not statistically significant. The authors describe a modest improvement in documentation time. (3)
An observational study published in 2026, based on direct observation of 169 consultations, found a 15% reduction in documentation time, from 5.3 to 4.5 minutes per consultation, or about 48 seconds. It did not find a significant reduction in total consultation duration or total time spent on each patient. (4)
Therefore, the value of a scribe is probably not just about the minutes saved. In a multicentre study of 263 clinicians, its use was associated with a reduction in the cognitive load related to notes, reported better attention to patients, and a decline in reported burnout. (5)
What is pre-consultation?
Pre-consultation takes place before the appointment. Its purpose is to gather useful information from the patient: reasons for consultation, symptoms and their progression, medical history, treatments, allergies, risk factors, questionnaires or medical scores, documents, prevention elements, and topics to be discussed.
This approach does not always depend on artificial intelligence. In France, for example, "Mon bilan prévention" by the Assurance Maladie invites patients to fill out a self-questionnaire in advance about their lifestyle habits, risk factors, and the topics they wish to discuss with the healthcare professional. (6)
Artificial intelligence allows us to go much further by making this pathway adaptive for either the patient or the healthcare professional: the questions and level of detail evolve based on the reason for the consultation, previous answers, or the patient's profile.
Does pre-consultation actually save time?
According to the 2026 Aldebaran Barometer based on more than 300,000 prepared consultations and a survey of 135 healthcare professionals, 76.3% of respondents reported a time-saving effect, and the perceived time saved averaged 3.5 minutes per prepared consultation.
The testimonials point in the same direction: some doctors explain that the systematic use of pre-consultations has reduced the average delay in consultations, made it possible to add an extra consultation per half-day, and left them feeling less tired in the evening.
What is an AI medical scribe?
Historically, a medical scribe is a person responsible for accompanying a healthcare professional to document their consultation. Digital medical scribes, sometimes called ambient AI scribes, now automate part of this work using artificial intelligence.
Depending on the solution used, the system can analyse the conversation between the doctor and the patient and then generate a draft consultation report, structured clinical note, medical letter or summary for the patient record. The objective is to prevent the professional from having to manually transcribe a large part of what has just been said.
Do medical scribes actually save time?
Early studies show a benefit in terms of time spent on documentation, but the results are more nuanced than the communication surrounding these tools sometimes suggests.
In a study published in 2025 involving 46 professionals across 17 specialties, using an ambient scribe was associated with a 20.4% reduction in time spent on notes per appointment, from 10.3 to 8.2 minutes, and a 30% reduction in documentation time after the working day. (2)
However, a randomised trial published in NEJM AI in late 2025 involving 238 doctors across 14 specialties provides a more measured view. With Nabla, time spent on notes decreased by 9.5% compared to the control group, from about 4 min 30 to 3 min 49; for Microsoft DAX Copilot, the difference was not statistically significant. The authors describe a modest improvement in documentation time. (3)
An observational study published in 2026, based on direct observation of 169 consultations, found a 15% reduction in documentation time, from 5.3 to 4.5 minutes per consultation, or about 48 seconds. It did not find a significant reduction in total consultation duration or total time spent on each patient. (4)
Therefore, the value of a scribe is probably not just about the minutes saved. In a multicentre study of 263 clinicians, its use was associated with a reduction in the cognitive load related to notes, reported better attention to patients, and a decline in reported burnout. (5)
What is pre-consultation?
Pre-consultation takes place before the appointment. Its purpose is to gather useful information from the patient: reasons for consultation, symptoms and their progression, medical history, treatments, allergies, risk factors, questionnaires or medical scores, documents, prevention elements, and topics to be discussed.
This approach does not always depend on artificial intelligence. In France, for example, "Mon bilan prévention" by the Assurance Maladie invites patients to fill out a self-questionnaire in advance about their lifestyle habits, risk factors, and the topics they wish to discuss with the healthcare professional. (6)
Artificial intelligence allows us to go much further by making this pathway adaptive for either the patient or the healthcare professional: the questions and level of detail evolve based on the reason for the consultation, previous answers, or the patient's profile.
Does pre-consultation actually save time?
According to the 2026 Aldebaran Barometer based on more than 300,000 prepared consultations and a survey of 135 healthcare professionals, 76.3% of respondents reported a time-saving effect, and the perceived time saved averaged 3.5 minutes per prepared consultation.
The testimonials point in the same direction: some doctors explain that the systematic use of pre-consultations has reduced the average delay in consultations, made it possible to add an extra consultation per half-day, and left them feeling less tired in the evening.
Pre-consultation and medical scribe: the essential difference
The simplest distinction lies in when each one intervenes. The pre-consultation takes place before the appointment, based mainly on the patient, available documents and data; it prepares the consultation. The scribe acts during and after the appointment, based on the doctor-patient conversation; they document what happened.
Pre-consultation makes it possible to explore the reasons for the visit, symptoms, history, treatments, allergies, documents or scores beforehand. The scribe mainly captures what is discussed during the exchange. In both cases, the medical decision remains with the professional.
The difference can be summarised as follows: the pre-consultation helps prepare what needs to be known; the scribe helps document what happened.
A scribe mainly documents what comes up during the consultation
If a patient does not mention a recent hospitalisation, a change in treatment or a new specialist, a scribe working from the conversation cannot necessarily know that this information is missing.
An independent study published in 2026 in JAMA Network Open, conducted with simulated consultations across four specialties, emphasised the need for integration with the medical record, test results and previous information. It also noted errors, omissions and hallucinations in the generated notes, confirming that the scribe's draft must remain controlled by the professional. (7)
The scribe may well document a medical history, but they do not guarantee that all relevant questions have been asked.
Pre-consultation and medical scribe: the essential difference
The simplest distinction lies in when each one intervenes. The pre-consultation takes place before the appointment, based mainly on the patient, available documents and data; it prepares the consultation. The scribe acts during and after the appointment, based on the doctor-patient conversation; they document what happened.
Pre-consultation makes it possible to explore the reasons for the visit, symptoms, history, treatments, allergies, documents or scores beforehand. The scribe mainly captures what is discussed during the exchange. In both cases, the medical decision remains with the professional.
The difference can be summarised as follows: the pre-consultation helps prepare what needs to be known; the scribe helps document what happened.
A scribe mainly documents what comes up during the consultation
If a patient does not mention a recent hospitalisation, a change in treatment or a new specialist, a scribe working from the conversation cannot necessarily know that this information is missing.
An independent study published in 2026 in JAMA Network Open, conducted with simulated consultations across four specialties, emphasised the need for integration with the medical record, test results and previous information. It also noted errors, omissions and hallucinations in the generated notes, confirming that the scribe's draft must remain controlled by the professional. (7)
The scribe may well document a medical history, but they do not guarantee that all relevant questions have been asked.
Pre-consultation does not only affect collection time
Presenting pre-consultation solely as a way to save a few minutes at the start of an appointment would be very reductionist. It can act on at least five dimensions.
1. Collecting and structuring before the appointment
The professional obviously does not eliminate their questioning: they start with an initial structured overview of the situation, which they can verify, deepen, or correct.
2. Anticipating the complexity of the consultation
An apparently simple appointment can hide multiple reasons, a complex psychosocial situation, a concerning symptom, a delayed screening, or several documents to analyze. Knowing these points before the patient arrives makes it possible to identify the topics that will require more attention.
3. Better prioritizing and organizing
When information arrives early enough, some requests may require more time, a dedicated consultation, a document, a test result to retrieve, a quick referral, or a schedule adjustment. User testimonials from Aldebaran specifically mention this ability to anticipate complex consultations and better organize the schedule.
4. Going further during the consultation
Optimizing medical time does not necessarily mean shortening the consultation or seeing more patients. It can also mean using the same fifteen or twenty minutes differently, by giving more attention to prevention, screenings, mental health, sleep, addictions, explanations, or multiple concerns.
A randomized study on a questionnaire completed before the consultation showed longer consultations, but 30% more diagnoses discussed. A 2025 study in outpatient palliative care indicates that 79% of surveyed patients felt the questionnaire had helped their conversation with the professional. (8) (9)
5. Better preparing the patient themselves
The pre-consultation gives the patient time to reflect on their reasons for visiting, the progression of their symptoms, their medications, their documents, and the topics they are afraid of forgetting. It therefore also prepares the discussion and the patient's participation in their own care.
Pre-consultation does not only affect collection time
Presenting pre-consultation solely as a way to save a few minutes at the start of an appointment would be very reductionist. It can act on at least five dimensions.
1. Collecting and structuring before the appointment
The professional obviously does not eliminate their questioning: they start with an initial structured overview of the situation, which they can verify, deepen, or correct.
2. Anticipating the complexity of the consultation
An apparently simple appointment can hide multiple reasons, a complex psychosocial situation, a concerning symptom, a delayed screening, or several documents to analyze. Knowing these points before the patient arrives makes it possible to identify the topics that will require more attention.
3. Better prioritizing and organizing
When information arrives early enough, some requests may require more time, a dedicated consultation, a document, a test result to retrieve, a quick referral, or a schedule adjustment. User testimonials from Aldebaran specifically mention this ability to anticipate complex consultations and better organize the schedule.
4. Going further during the consultation
Optimizing medical time does not necessarily mean shortening the consultation or seeing more patients. It can also mean using the same fifteen or twenty minutes differently, by giving more attention to prevention, screenings, mental health, sleep, addictions, explanations, or multiple concerns.
A randomized study on a questionnaire completed before the consultation showed longer consultations, but 30% more diagnoses discussed. A 2025 study in outpatient palliative care indicates that 79% of surveyed patients felt the questionnaire had helped their conversation with the professional. (8) (9)
5. Better preparing the patient themselves
The pre-consultation gives the patient time to reflect on their reasons for visiting, the progression of their symptoms, their medications, their documents, and the topics they are afraid of forgetting. It therefore also prepares the discussion and the patient's participation in their own care.
Two different approaches to medical time-saving
The scribe mainly acts on documentation
During the consultation, the professional must listen, analyse, examine, make decisions, explain, and document. The scribe aims to lighten this last task. Available studies show that the gain in minutes can remain modest, but the benefit can also apply to cognitive load, attention to the patient, and documentation work after consultations.
Pre-consultation acts upstream on information and organisation
It can reduce some of the time spent on data collection, but its objective is broader: to collect, structure, anticipate, prioritise, and prepare. The professional has information even before the discussion begins, which can modify not only the time spent, but also how that time is used.
Two different approaches to medical time-saving
The scribe mainly acts on documentation
During the consultation, the professional must listen, analyse, examine, make decisions, explain, and document. The scribe aims to lighten this last task. Available studies show that the gain in minutes can remain modest, but the benefit can also apply to cognitive load, attention to the patient, and documentation work after consultations.
Pre-consultation acts upstream on information and organisation
It can reduce some of the time spent on data collection, but its objective is broader: to collect, structure, anticipate, prioritise, and prepare. The professional has information even before the discussion begins, which can modify not only the time spent, but also how that time is used.
Pre-consultation and scribe: what if the two were complementary?
Before the consultation: preparing
The pre-consultation can collect reasons for the visit, symptoms, developments, treatments, allergies, documents, scores, and prevention elements. The professional has an initial summary before the appointment.
During the consultation: understanding and deciding
The doctor verifies important information, deepens the anamnesis, examines the patient, explores relevant hypotheses, makes decisions, and explains the care plan. The scribe can simultaneously document the exchange.
After the consultation: formalising
Based on what happened during the appointment, the scribe can propose a note or a report. The professional remains responsible for reviewing, validating, and using it. The chain then becomes: prepare → consult → document.
The real challenge: circulating information, not stacking software
This complementarity only makes sense if it does not create new tasks. If the doctor has to consult the pre-consultation in a first interface, their patient file in a second, and then the scribe's report in a third, part of the benefit disappears.
Integration with the software used daily therefore becomes crucial. The goal is for the right information to be available at the right time, in the right tool.
Conclusion
Pre-consultation and medical scribe address two different moments of the same journey. The scribe steps in mainly during and after the consultation to lighten the documentation; the pre-consultation takes place beforehand to better prepare the patient, bring important topics to light, anticipate complexity, and prioritise certain requests.
These approaches are therefore not necessarily in competition. They can participate in the same organisation: preparing what can be prepared before the appointment, preserving the clinical exchange during the consultation, and simplifying the documentation afterwards.
Pre-consultation and scribe: what if the two were complementary?
Before the consultation: preparing
The pre-consultation can collect reasons for the visit, symptoms, developments, treatments, allergies, documents, scores, and prevention elements. The professional has an initial summary before the appointment.
During the consultation: understanding and deciding
The doctor verifies important information, deepens the anamnesis, examines the patient, explores relevant hypotheses, makes decisions, and explains the care plan. The scribe can simultaneously document the exchange.
After the consultation: formalising
Based on what happened during the appointment, the scribe can propose a note or a report. The professional remains responsible for reviewing, validating, and using it. The chain then becomes: prepare → consult → document.
The real challenge: circulating information, not stacking software
This complementarity only makes sense if it does not create new tasks. If the doctor has to consult the pre-consultation in a first interface, their patient file in a second, and then the scribe's report in a third, part of the benefit disappears.
Integration with the software used daily therefore becomes crucial. The goal is for the right information to be available at the right time, in the right tool.
Conclusion
Pre-consultation and medical scribe address two different moments of the same journey. The scribe steps in mainly during and after the consultation to lighten the documentation; the pre-consultation takes place beforehand to better prepare the patient, bring important topics to light, anticipate complexity, and prioritise certain requests.
These approaches are therefore not necessarily in competition. They can participate in the same organisation: preparing what can be prepared before the appointment, preserving the clinical exchange during the consultation, and simplifying the documentation afterwards.
Article sources
FAQ
What is the difference between a medical scribe and a pre-consultation assistant?
Does a medical scribe actually save time?
Pre-consultation or medical scribe: which one to choose?
Is the pre-consultation only about saving time?
Does the pre-consultation replace the medical history-taking?
Can pre-consultation and medical scribe be used simultaneously?
FAQ
What is the difference between a medical scribe and a pre-consultation assistant?
Does a medical scribe actually save time?
Pre-consultation or medical scribe: which one to choose?
Is the pre-consultation only about saving time?
Does the pre-consultation replace the medical history-taking?
Can pre-consultation and medical scribe be used simultaneously?
FAQ
What is the difference between a medical scribe and a pre-consultation assistant?
Does a medical scribe actually save time?
Pre-consultation or medical scribe: which one to choose?
Is the pre-consultation only about saving time?
Does the pre-consultation replace the medical history-taking?
Can pre-consultation and medical scribe be used simultaneously?
