Health New Zealand has released internal documents detailing how its National Artificial Intelligence and Algorithm Expert Advisory Group assessed AI-powered clinical documentation tools from Heidi and iMedX prior to endorsing their use within the organisation.
Released under the Official Information Act, the documents include minutes from an October 2024 advisory group meeting discussing Heidi, a March 2025 review of iMedX’s InstaNote product and a June 2025 review of Heidi’s ambient AI scribe.
Pulse+IT previously reported on Health NZ’s subsequent endorsements of Heidi’s ambient AI scribe and iMedX’s InstaNote in July last year.
The OIA documents note that Health NZ had become aware clinicians across the organisation were already using Heidi’s AI scribe before a formal procurement process was completed.
According to the documents, the procurement process was intended to ensure “existing use is safer, patient data is secure and the outputs produced are fit for purpose.”
The documents also note that emergency department doctors and nurses using AI scribes had reported spending less time on paperwork and more time focusing on patient care.
TRANSPARENT
Minutes from the October 2024 advisory group meeting show Heidi had outlined how its product operates, telling members that patient data is not used for AI model training, users remain custodians of their data and information is removed from the system once a session is deleted.
The company also advised there was no difference in privacy policy between its free and paid versions.
The meeting minutes record discussion on a range of issues – including privacy, data governance, patient consent, legal implications, automation bias, quality assurance and clinician oversight.
According to the minutes, Heidi told the group it did not claim ownership of patient data and that health or sensitive patient information was not used for business improvement.
It said clinicians could provide feedback on generated notes, while analytics and clinician feedback were used to improve the product.
The company also said it monitored how often clinicians edited AI-generated notes as part of quality assurance.
EFFICIENT
The advisory group’s March 2025 review of iMedX’s ambient AI scribe InstaNote found the technology could support more efficient clinical documentation, but also pointed to several considerations for implementation.
These included transparency around the large language model used by the product and whether it could learn from user data, assurance that data would not be extracted or used for model training outside Australia and New Zealand, ongoing auditing and reporting of documentation accuracy, support for Te Reo Māori, a commitment to New Zealand-based data storage when available and appropriate local clinical leadership and feedback mechanisms.
Subject to those requirements being addressed, the advisory group endorsed implementation of InstaNote as a clinical transcription support tool.
INTEGRATION
The June 2025 review of Heidi’s ambient AI scribe noted the advisory group had previously considered the product in October 2024 and had raised concerns relating to patient privacy and data governance.
The review said a Privacy Impact Assessment and Cloud Risk Assessment had since been completed, both recommending formal contractual agreements to ensure appropriate safeguards for patient privacy and data protection.
The advisory group identified workflow integration as one consideration for implementation, noting Heidi was not integrated with Health NZ’s electronic systems and that documentation processes varied between regions and services.
It recommended services engaging with local transcription teams should integrate the technology into existing workflows, while maintaining compliance with Health NZ documentation standards.
The review also highlighted procurement and contracting requirements, stating that a Master Service Agreement was required with Heidi to provide appropriate legal protections for patient data.
It also noted that the free version of Heidi’s product should not be used because it did not meet Health NZ’s privacy, security and contractual requirements.
At that time, the advisory group endorsed further piloting and evaluation of Heidi’s ambient AI scribe within Health NZ, based on prior assessments and subject to the implementation considerations.
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