Lookup-first note drafting vs. ambient AI scribes.
Ambient AI scribes draft a note from the visit conversation. Lookup-first tools such as IntelliNotes start from the diagnosis you select and leave the encounter details to you. Which one fits depends on how you write your notes.
Updated · IntelliNotes product team
Two ways to start a clinical note
An ambient AI scribe captures the conversation between clinician and patient and drafts a note from it. Products in this category differ in what they record, where they keep it, how they handle codes and which systems they connect to, so check those details with each vendor.
A lookup-first tool starts somewhere else. In IntelliNotes you search a diagnosis name or ICD-10 code, select the relevant entries and generate a draft from them. You then add what happened in the encounter by typing or dictating, and review, edit and copy the note. The steps are described in From ICD-10 lookup to a note you have reviewed.
| Point | Lookup-first (IntelliNotes) | Ambient AI scribe (the category) |
|---|---|---|
| Where the draft starts | The diagnoses and ICD-10 codes you search for and select. | The conversation captured during the visit. |
| What you add | The facts of the encounter, typed or dictated in short clips of up to one minute each. | Corrections to what the tool heard and anything the conversation did not cover. |
| ICD-10 codes | Code lookup is the first step, before any text is drafted. | Varies by product. Ask the vendor how codes are handled. |
| How the note reaches your record | You copy the reviewed note as plain text. There is no direct EHR integration. | Varies by product. Ask the vendor which systems it connects to. |
| Your review | Required before you copy the note. | Required before you sign the note. |
When IntelliNotes fits
- You write or dictate your own notes and want a starting draft.
- You usually know the diagnosis and want the ICD-10 lookup and the draft in one workspace.
- You prefer not to record the visit conversation.
- You work in a web browser and paste the finished note into your own documentation system.
When an ambient scribe may fit better
- You want the draft built from the visit conversation itself, without typing or dictating the details.
- You need the tool to place notes directly in your EHR. IntelliNotes does not include a direct EHR integration.
What IntelliNotes does not do
- It does not capture the visit conversation. Dictation records only the clips you start and stop, up to one minute each.
- It does not connect directly to an EHR. You copy the reviewed note as plain text.
- It does not know the encounter. A diagnosis label alone does not establish a patient’s history, examination, medication use or treatment plan, so you add and check those details.
- It does not guarantee clinical accuracy, coding compliance or reimbursement.
What IntelliNotes costs
The current plan is US$49.99 per month, billed as a recurring subscription through Stripe. Any applicable taxes are shown at checkout. There is no advertised free trial; you can explore the guided example on the home page before subscribing. See About IntelliNotes for what the plan includes.
Questions to ask about any AI note tool
- What does it capture: the visit, your dictation or only text?
- Where is that input sent, and how long is it kept?
- How does the finished note reach your record?
- What must you review before you use the note?
- What is the total monthly cost, including taxes?
For IntelliNotes, the data and privacy overview lists the services that receive your input, and the draft review checklist covers the review.
This guide describes ambient AI scribes as a category. It does not rate or compare specific products.
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