Voice Recording & Dictation

Voice recording lets you speak naturally about a patient visit and have the AI convert your dictation into structured clinical content. Instead of typing a visit summary, just talk through what happened during the session.

How to Use Voice Recording (extension)

1. Open the extension. On the Visit screen, pick the patient with the switcher at the top.
2. Click Voice Scribe in the bottom-right corner of the Visit Summary box. Voice Scribe opens.
3. Click Start recording and speak naturally about the visit. Describe what you did, how the patient responded, any changes in status, and your clinical observations.
4. Click the button at the bottom to pause, then click Finish. The AI transcribes the visit and writes the note right away, using the visit type you picked before recording and your template for it. The note opens with Copy Note and Fill EHR.
5. Click the Transcript tab at the top of the note to read the transcript. You can fix any word right there (it saves as you type), or click Record More to add details you left out, and the note is rewritten to include them.

The transcript is also added to the end of whatever is already in the Visit Summary box, and anything you typed before recording is kept. If the note can’t be written (for example, a dropped connection), you land back on the Visit screen with the transcript in the box, so click Write Note to try again.

In the app, tap Voice Scribe in the visit summary box on the Visit screen. It opens with the patient you picked already selected. When you tap Finish, the app transcribes the visit and writes the note right away, using the visit type you picked before recording (Daily Visit, Progress Note, and so on) and your template for it. The note opens with Copy Note and Fill EHR, just like a note from Write Note. Tap the Transcript tab at the top to read the transcript. You can fix any word right there (it saves as you type), or tap Record More to add details you left out, and the note is rewritten to include them.

If a Call or Another App Takes the Microphone (iPhone)

iPhone gives the microphone to a phone call, Siri, FaceTime or another app that records, and it does not let a background app take it back. When that happens during a recording, SOAP Note Buddy sends a Recording paused notification right away. Open the app and it picks the recording back up, keeping everything captured so far. When a phone call ends (up to 5 minutes long), the recording picks back up by itself as the same recording; the lock screen card shows Paused during the call, and the app tells you how long was missed when you come back. Allow notifications the first time you record (iOS asks once) so this alert can reach you.

Seeing the Recording on Your iPhone Lock Screen

While the app records, your iPhone’s lock screen (and the Dynamic Island on newer iPhones) shows a small card with Recording or Paused, the patient’s name, and the running time, so you can confirm the visit is still being captured without unlocking. Tap it to jump back to Voice Scribe. The first time, iOS asks whether to allow Live Activities from SOAP Note Buddy; choose Allow. Requires iOS 16.2 or later.

Using a Saved Recording (extension)

Click Recordings in the Visit Summary box to see the patient’s saved recordings. Click one to drop it into the box, or click its edit icon to open its transcript, with a Note tab at the top to switch to the note written from it. A recording with no note yet shows a Write Note button on the Note tab.

To start the next visit with an empty box, clear the box first. Notes you already generated stay in Saved Notes.

Extension vs. App: Which to Use for Voice

Both the browser extension and the mobile apps can record and transcribe your voice, but they’re suited to different situations:

• Browser extension: best for quick dictations to capture visit details. You speak a short summary of the visit and the AI structures it.
• iOS / Android app: best for longer recordings (over about 5 minutes) or background conversations with patients. The app records continuously in the background on iPhone, iPad and Android, so it can capture an entire ambient visit even if your screen locks or you switch apps. On Android, a “SOAP Note Buddy is recording” notification with a running timer shows while it records; allow notifications when the app asks so you can see it (some phones only show it after you swipe down on the lock screen).

When you start a recording in the extension, you may see a one-time tip recommending the app for longer or background recordings. You can dismiss it with “Don’t show this again” if you’d rather not see it. Both tools transcribe with the same AI; the difference is how long and how hands-free the recording can be.

Saving a Recording to a New Patient

In the iOS and Android apps, after you review a transcription you can save it to an existing patient or to a brand-new one. Choosing + New Patient opens the Add Patient form. Enter the name (and a patient summary or context documents if you like), save, and the recording is filed to the new patient. Recording from an existing patient’s record saves the transcription directly to that patient.

In the browser extension, recording from the Visit screen saves the transcript to the patient you picked and adds it to the Visit Summary box. To record for a new patient, choose + New Patient in the patient switcher first.

How Long Transcription Takes

Most transcriptions finish in under 30 seconds. The very first transcription after a quiet period can take a little longer while our transcription service warms up; after that, transcriptions are quick.

Your audio is deleted as soon as the transcription finishes. It’s only used to produce the transcript and is never kept.

Tips for Best Results

• Speak naturally. You do not need to use formal clinical language. The AI will structure your observations into proper documentation terminology.
• Be specific. Mention exercises performed, sets and reps, patient tolerance, assist levels, and measurable observations. The more detail you provide, the better the generated note will be.
• Minimize background noise. Find a reasonably quiet space for dictation. The transcription works best with clear audio.
• Keep it focused. Stay on topic for the current patient and visit. You can always record again if you need to add more detail.
• Review the transcription. Check that the AI captured your dictation accurately, especially for medical terminology and proper nouns. In the app, the transcript scrolls freely; tap any sentence to edit it (the cursor lands at the end of that sentence), then tap Done above the keyboard to go back to reading.

Voice recording is available in the browser extension, and a fuller version (Voice Scribe) is built into the iOS and Android apps for hands-free recording during patient visits.