The advisory outlines documentation responsibilities and legal and regulatory considerations for this emerging technology.
Ambient scribe tools refer to systems that operate discreetly in the background and use artificial intelligence to automatically capture, transcribe, and summarize patient-provider interactions into structured clinical notes.
To support PTs and PTAs as these scribe tools become more prevalent in health care, APTA has published a new practice advisory: “Emerging Technology: AI-Enabled Ambient Scribe Technology in Physical Therapy Documentation.”
The APTA Practice Advisory, an exclusive member benefit, outlines documentation responsibilities and regulatory considerations, as well as reviews the evidence behind the technology’s benefits and limitations. This resource can support providers in their efforts to deliver informed, patient-centered care and uphold privacy, safety, and ethical standards.
It is the latest resource from APTA related to AI in physical therapy practice.
- At the APTA Future of Rehab Therapy Summit in July 2025, a panel of innovators spoke about the importance of the provider’s role in the use of emerging technologies. That panel — and more than a dozen others — are available to watch on demand through the APTA Learning Center.
- Learn more about the relationship between AI and physical therapy in this APTA Podcast episode: AI in PT Practice: What Are the Benefits, Risks, and Ethical Questions?
- Several sessions at APTA Combined Sections Meeting in Anaheim, Feb. 12-14, 2026, will cover AI and rehabilitation.
For questions related to this advisory, contact APTA Practice.
