A practical, big-picture guide to getting started with AI in your clinic, grounded in real experience.
By Mike Checkley, President, and Brian Ellis, Senior Director of Product
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, healthcare is no exception. In this insightful session, Dee Rooks sits down with Mike Checkley and Brian Ellis—co-founders of Accuro EMR and long-time leaders at Accuro—to explore how clinics can begin integrating AI into their workflows. With over two decades of experience in digital health innovation, Mike and Brian offer a grounded, practical perspective on what AI can do for clinics today, and what’s just around the corner.
From Paper to AI: A Journey of Innovation
On their journey from building EMR systems in university to leading one of Canada’s most widely used healthcare platforms, Mike and Brian have seen the shift from paper to digital, from local servers to the cloud, and now from manual processes to AI-powered automation.
Brian describes AI as “a tool—transformational, but not magical.” It’s not about replacing people, but about augmenting their capabilities. Mike adds that the goal is to make AI “real” for clinics by solving tangible problems like administrative burden and inefficiencies.
For a plain-language explanation of AI foundations, read our article, How Does AI Work?
Four Key AI Tools Clinics Can Use Today
The discussion centers on four categories of AI tools already integrated with Accuro EMR:
- AI Scribe
The most popular tool, AI Scribe listens to patient-provider conversations and generates clinical notes, patient summaries, and referrals. It reduces typing, improves documentation quality, and enhances patient understanding. - Task Automation
AI can automate repetitive administrative tasks—like booking follow‑up appointments based on lab results or sending automated reminders to patients who haven’t scheduled yet—based on conversation context. This frees up staff time and improves adherence to care plans. - Document Triage
AI classifies and routes incoming documents (e.g., faxes, referrals) to the right provider with minimal human intervention. It speeds up filing and reduces errors. - Patient Intake
AI streamlines the intake process by extracting relevant information from forms and documents, updating patient records, and preparing providers with pre-visit summaries.
“Think about it as advancement, not replacement. What else could you be doing, how could you take your clinic to the next level, if AI took care of the repetitive tasks?” —Mike Checkley
Get more detail and real-world examples of how these tools can help in AI Tools in Action
Privacy, Security, and Choosing the Right Tools
A major theme in any consideration of AI-based tools is data privacy and responsible use. Brian emphasizes the importance of understanding how AI tools handle data: whether they store it, use it for training, or simply process it transiently. To ensure due diligence, clinics should ask vendors about:
- Data storage and session memory
- Use of prompts for training
- Integration with EMRs via secure APIs
- Consent and transparency with patients
Mike notes that Accuro vets all AI vendors through rigorous privacy and security assessments, ensuring clinics can trust the tools they adopt.
Learn more about which privacy and security questions to ask in Choosing the Right AI Vendor
Advice for Clinics Just Getting Started
For clinics unsure where to begin, the panel offers this advice:
- Start with a problem-based approach: Identify your biggest pain points, whether that’s document filing, missed appointments, or administrative overload, and look for tools that solve those.
- Get comfortable with AI: Use free tools like ChatGPT or Gemini in your personal life to build familiarity.
- Lean on your practice consultants: Accuro’s team can help clinics evaluate tools, understand integration levels, and ensure alignment with clinic goals.
For practical steps to implementing AI tools, check out Where to Start with AI in Your Clinic
What’s Next for AI in Clinics?
Looking ahead, Mike and Brian highlight the following emerging areas:
- Decision support: AI tools that assist (but don’t replace) clinical decision-making.
- Data summarization: Pre-visit chart reviews and dynamic summaries.
- Advanced search: Semantic search across structured and unstructured data.
- Population health management: Using AI to identify and proactively manage patient cohorts.
“AI is a tool—a very powerful and transformational one—but one that we just have to make sure we apply in the right way.” —Brian Ellis
Read more about the potential of healthcare AI in The Future of AI in Clinics
By Mike Checkley, President, and Brian Ellis, Senior Director of Product