Basis AI Scribe

Basis AI Scribe prepares clinical notes from patient encounters for clinicians to review and approve. It is best suited to practices seeking local processing and a workflow built around their own EHR; custom pricing makes the cost harder to weigh before contacting Basis.

Overview

Before a visit, Basis gathers the reason for the appointment, relevant chart context, and recent history into one view. It then captures the encounter and drafts a note. Clinicians can compare the draft with its source transcript, edit it, and approve it before it moves to the chart. That approval step makes the product a documentation aid rather than a substitute for clinician sign-off.

Its most distinctive choice is to process audio, transcripts, and drafts on hardware controlled by the practice, without requiring hosted model use. Local capture and drafting can continue on the computer or Basis AI Hub if the internet connection is interrupted. This suits practices that want control over processing and offline continuity, but makes the workflow dependent on the practice’s local setup.

Key features

Capture and note review

Basis Desktop uses the supported Mac or Windows computer’s microphone. Basis Mobile captures visits on supported phones, tablets, or watches, either independently or with Audio Beacons. The product supports ambient capture and specialty templates. The clinician’s ability to check a draft against the transcript and make changes before approval is particularly useful when the note needs careful review.

Local processing and privacy

Basis says its clinical app has no account, login, analytics, or advertising code, and does not send visit audio or draft notes to a vendor. Recording starts only after a provider initiates it; audio streams to the practice’s Basis appliance and is not stored in the app. Basis also states on its Tebra integration page that it is HIPAA compliant and that a BAA is available. Practices should assess these claims against their own compliance needs and deployment requirements.

EHR integration

Basis lists integrations including Epic, athenahealth, Oracle Health, Canvas Medical, eClinicalWorks, NextGen, and Tebra. Each export path is scoped and tested against the customer’s own EHR instance before go-live. That customer-specific work is a sensible safeguard, though practices should confirm their own setup before relying on a particular workflow. Basis says it will reply within one business day when a practice submits its EHR and specialty.

Pricing

Basis is a paid product with pricing on request. Its Basis plan is a free download at no cost, requires no credit card, and provides an installer matched to the operating system. That makes it possible to obtain the installer without an upfront payment, but the free-download terms do not establish the ongoing cost or what paid use includes. Practices should request pricing and clarify the terms that apply to their intended deployment.

Platforms

Basis lists Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Desktop capture is supported on Mac and Windows computers; mobile capture is available on supported phones, tablets, or watches. The mobile app coverage listed for the plan is iOS, so Android availability should be confirmed for the specific mobile workflow a practice needs.

Who it's for

Basis describes its product for clinical practices and names specialties including orthopedics, podiatry, dermatology, urology, neurology, and post-acute care. It is a strong candidate for practices that prioritize local processing, offline capture and drafting, and an explicit clinician review step. It is less compelling for a buyer who needs predictable published subscription costs or wants to evaluate a clearly stated per-seat or usage allowance before contacting the vendor.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Practice-controlled processing: Audio, transcripts, and drafts are processed on practice-controlled hardware, without requiring hosted model use.
• Review before charting: Clinicians can compare drafts with transcripts, edit them, and approve the final note before it moves to the chart.
• Continues through internet interruptions: Local capture and drafting can continue on the computer or Basis AI Hub while the connection is down.
• Instance-specific integration preparation: Export paths are scoped and tested against the practice’s own EHR instance before go-live.

Cons

• Cost is difficult to compare upfront: Pricing is on request, so practices cannot readily assess ongoing expense from a published paid-plan price.
• Local setup is central to the workflow: Processing depends on practice-controlled hardware, which may not suit practices seeking a hosted-only arrangement.
• Mobile plan coverage is narrower than the platform list: The plan’s mobile app coverage is iOS, despite Android also appearing among the listed platforms.

Alternatives

Tali AI Scribe is worth considering for someone who wants a freemium option with a stated personal allowance: its free plan starts with a 14-day Pro plan, then allows five AI Scribes and 60 minutes of dictation per month. Its platform list also includes web, Linux, and a browser extension.

Heidi may suit a clinician looking for a freemium choice with one free seat, unlimited transcription, and standard templates, while accepting limited usage for other features.

Vero is a clearer fit for a practice that wants a published free cap of 10 encounters per month or a stated Pro price of $69 a month; Basis may be preferable when local processing and practice-specific EHR export preparation matter more.

CareWay is an option for resident physicians, who can use its Residents plan free of charge.

Chartnote AI Scribe suits someone seeking a free allowance of 15 AI Scribe notes per month and web-based EMR transfer.

Lyrebird Health offers a free plan with monthly transcription, dictation, and document-action caps, making it an alternative for readers who want those quantities stated upfront.

Tandem Health AI Scribe may suit a small team that wants a free plan with unlimited note generation, up to two custom templates, and invitations for up to two co-workers, subject to limited daily Pro Actions.

Transcribe Health is an alternative for someone looking for a free allowance capped at 30 encounters or 90 transcription minutes per month.

Browse the AI Medical Scribe Software category for more options.

Verdict

Basis AI Scribe is best for clinical practices that want locally processed encounter documentation, offline continuity, and clinician approval before notes reach the chart. Its clearest reason to choose it is the combination of practice-controlled processing and customer-specific EHR export preparation. Look elsewhere if you need a published ongoing price or a clearly defined free-use quota before beginning a vendor conversation.