Health and Social Services providers in select primary care and community health settings across the Northwest Territories are beginning to use Mika AI Scribe, a new tool that creates draft clinical notes during patient visits. This one-year pilot, in partnership with all three Health and Social Services Authorities, is designed to help providers spend more time on patient care and less on paperwork, while maintaining strong privacy and consent protections.

The pilot is part of the GNWT’s work to modernize health services and improve the patient experience through responsible use of digital tools.

Important information for residents includes:

• Residents will be asked for written consent before the tool is used for the first time.
• Providers will verify consent prior to future appointments. Consent can be withdrawn at any time without affecting care. 
• Privacy protections follow the Health Information Act.
• Mika AI Scribe does not record or keep audio files.  It works by transcribing live speech into a draft note, which the provider reviews and edits before manually copying it into the patient’s electronic medical record. The draft note is automatically deleted after seven days.

Health care providers spend significant time on documentation, which can reduce the time available for patient interaction and contribute to burnout. By testing AI-enabled documentation, the GNWT aims to improve patient experience and support providers, while ensuring privacy, consent, and professional standards remain central.

The pilot will run until December 2026. An evaluation will take place at the six-month mark to review how the tool fits into systems and workflows before any decision is made about use beyond the pilot.

Quote:

“This pilot is about supporting patient care and the people who deliver it. By reducing paperwork, providers can spend more time listening, engaging, and treating residents. We are modernizing our health system in a responsible way to better support healthy people and communities, with privacy, consent, and professional judgement at the centre of this work.”

         - Lesa Semmler, Minister of Health and Social Services

Quick facts

• The Mika AI Scribe pilot starts this month and will run for one year.
• The tool creates draft notes, which providers then review and edit. It does not replace clinical judgement.
• Written consent is required for the first use and can be withdrawn at any time.
• Privacy protections comply with the Health Information Act.
• Mika AI Scribe does not record or keep audio files. It works by transcribing live speech into a draft note, which the provider reviews and edits before manually copying it into the patient’s electronic medical record.
• Canada Health Infoway is funding 80 licenses for this pilot, so only a limited number of providers can use the tool at the same time.
• The pilot is available across the NWT.

Related Links

• AI scribe pilot and your care

For media requests, please contact:
Andrew Wind
Manager, Communications
Health and Social Services
Government of the Northwest Territories
HSSmedia@gov.nt.ca
(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034