Documentation is every clinician's constant companion—and nemesis. According to a pulse survey, 77% of clinicians are taking their notes home.

Luckily, there's a light at the end of the chart-induced tunnel (and maybe even a golden weekend or two).  

With advances in AI and natural language processing, medical dictation software is evolving to meet the growing need for support.

In this article, we'll discuss all things medical dictation software, including the history, types, tools, and benefits.

Best Medical Dictation Tools in 2025

1. Freed
2. Amazon Transcribe Medical
3. Deepgram
4. Nuance Dragon Medical One
5. Philips Speechlive
6. INVOX Medical
7. Voicebox MD

What is medical dictation software?

We can't talk about medical dictation without first mentioning medical transcription.

Medical transcription has existed as long as clinical notes: as long as doctors have helped people, someone's had to write it down.

But this really evolved in the mid-20th century, with the introduction of our good friend the electronic health record (EHR).

With a new systemized approach to patient care, dictation and transcription tools came into play. Traditional dictation tools document what we say word-for-word.

Now, AI scribes and other ambient tools can actually interpret conversations to write clinical notes.

Lets break down the best tools dictation in healthcare.

7 best medical dictation tools

Medical dictation software technology is advancing, and many options are now available. As a clinician, you'll need to choose based on your needs.

Here are some of the best medical dictation tools in the market that cater to different needs:

1. Freed—AI medical scribe

We'd like to introduce ourselves.

Freed is more than medical dictation. It's a HIPAA-compliant AI scribe designed for clinicians by the people that love them.

Freed's #1 goal is to make clinicians happier, and their lives that much easier.

Just turn it on during your next patient encounter. The tool works in the background to turn your conversation into accurate SOAP notes.

Feature overview

• Voice recognition for hands-free dictation
• HIPAA-compliant
• Customized notes that learn your clinical voice
• Available in desktop and mobile

Pros

• Secure
• Simple and easy to use
• Affordable
• Made by clinicians

Cons

• Not directly integrated with EHR

Get started with a free trial of Freed today. No credit card required.

2. Amazon Transcribe Medical

Amazon Transcribe Medical is a cloud-based transcription service by Amazon that converts physician-patient conversations into accurate text in real time. It also offers medical terminology recognition and speech transcriptions based on your specialty.

Feature overview

• Real-time transcription
• Accurate medical terminology recognition
• Transcriptions for both primary care and specialty care areas

Pros

• State-of-the-art machine learning by Amazon
• Easy integration with other Amazon services
• HIPAA-compliant option available

Cons

• Limited customization options for SOAP notes

3. Deepgram 

Deepgram is a speech recognition software that uses artificial intelligence to transcribe conversations accurately.

It offers real-time transcription, speaker separation, and formatting for specific industries, including healthcare.

Feature overview

• Real-time transcription
• Speaker separation and identification
• Smart formatting

Pros

• High transcription accuracy
• Can identify speaker sentiment

Cons

• Higher cost compared to other options
• Not made specifically for medical purposes

4. Nuance Dragon Medical One

Nuance Dragon Medical One is cloud-based speech recognition software designed for healthcare professionals. It can be used in a wide range of clinical and administrative workflows.

Feature overview

• Notes can be formatted using natural language commands
• Auto-punctuation when note-taking

Pros

• Specifically designed for medical purposes
• Available on desktop or mobile

Cons

• Expensive monthly subscription fee
• Requires an internet connection

5. Philips Speechlive

Philips Speechlive is another cloud-based speech recognition software that works in your browser. It offers a simple, fuss-free transcription function for speech to text.

Feature overview

• Speech recognition for text-to-speech functions
• Supports direct speech recognition in third-party applications

Pros

Available through desktop and mobile application

Cons

• Not built specifically for medical and clinical documentation
• Requires an internet connection

6. INVOX Medical

INVOX Medical is voice recognition software specifically designed to generate medical reports. It offers a good technical support team and a wide variety of specialty dictionaries, making it easy to implement.

Feature overview

• Offers medical dictation services in their SaaS version
• Supports easy integration with existing systems

Pros

• Has support teams for setup
• Offers more than 15 dictionaries of different medical specialities
• Available for deployment on-premises or on the cloud

Cons

• No data security measures in place
• No demo available  

7. VoiceboxMD

VoiceboxMD is a medical dictation app that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to transcribe clinical notes with high accuracy. It also offers customizable templates and EHR integrations.

Feature overview

• Uses advanced self-learning AI technology for highly accurate transcription
• Integrates with electronic health record systems
• HIPAA-compliant technology

Pros

• Supports integrations with many EHRs
• Affordable pricing

Cons

• Limited number of specialties available  

Types of medical dictation tools

We know—that was a long list. To simplify things, let's split them into two main categories: medical transcription tools and AI scribes.

They're actually miles apart, with the latter being state-of-the-art AI technology-enabled.

Let's dig into the details below.

1. Medical transcription tools

Medical transcription tools are software programs that transcribe spoken medical dictation into text. They typically require a human transcriptionist to listen to the recording and manually type out the content.

These tools often have features such as voice recognition, word prediction, and templates for common medical terms.

However, they're limited in their capability to self-learn. This means you'll always be working with the same software making the same mistakes.

There's a solution to this problem—AI scribes.

Let's have a look at AI scribes in more detail below.

2. AI scribes

AI scribes use artificial intelligence and natural language processing algorithms to automatically transcribe spoken dictation into text.

These tools are trained on large datasets of medical terminology and can learn and adapt to individual speech patterns over time.

AI scribes can also have features such as auto-correct, auto-formatting, and voice commands for hands-free dictation. AI scribes can be good for unique use cases in lesser-known specialties where things aren't as established. Through self-learning over time, the AI scribe can increasingly save you on admin time and burden.

Benefits of using medical dictation tools

Now, let's talk real results. Here are the benefits of medical dictation tools.

1. Increased efficiency

With medical dictation tools, healthcare professionals can save time by quickly recording and transcribing patient information without having to type it out manually.

2. Improved accuracy

AI scribes and other medical dictation tools are more accurate than traditional transcription methods because they constantly learn and improve their language processing capabilities.

3. Reduced fatigue and strain

Healthcare workers often spend long hours typing out patient notes, which can lead to fatigue and strain. By using dictation tools, they can alleviate this physical burden and focus more on patient care.

4. Easy formatting

Medical notes tend to come in various formats and structures. With dictation tools, healthcare professionals like you can easily format notes in a structured manner, saving time and effort.

For example, the SOAP note format can be easily generated after the dictation software produces the transcript.

5. Accessibility

Dictation tools are accessible on various devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. This allows a medical professional to record and transcribe patient information on the go, making their work more efficient and convenient.

6. Cost-effective

Investing in dictation tools can save healthcare facilities money in the long run by reducing transcription costs and improving overall efficiency.

7. Improved patient experience

Dictation software can reduce administrative work time substantially. This can result in spending less time on administrative tasks and more time interacting with patients. This improves the overall patient experience and satisfaction.

Medical dictation software use cases

Having discussed the benefits of using dictation software in healthcare, let's take a look at some specific use cases where this technology can be particularly helpful.

1. Patient records and notes

Dictation software allows healthcare professionals to easily record and transcribe clinical documentation.

This can come in the form of patient information, including medical histories, diagnoses, treatment plans, and progress notes.

This makes it easier for doctors to quickly access and review important patient information during consultations or appointments.

2. Meeting notes

In addition to recording patient information, dictation tools can also be used to take notes during meetings or conferences.

This reduces the need for manual note-taking, allowing healthcare professionals to focus more on actively participating in discussions and making important decisions.

However, this feature may not be available for all dictation software.

3. Medical reports

Creating medical reports can be a time-consuming task that requires a lot of typing and proofreading.

With the speech recognition technology found in dictation software, healthcare professionals can simply speak their reports and have them transcribed in real time. This saves time and reduces the risk of errors due to typos or misinterpretation.

4. Customization

Many dictation tools offer customizable vocabulary and terminology for specific medical fields, making it easier for healthcare professionals to accurately dictate patient information without having to constantly spell out complex medical terms.

5. Mobile capabilities

With the rise of telemedicine, dictation software has become even more essential for healthcare professionals. Many tools now have mobile capabilities, allowing them to dictate patient information on the go, even when away from their office or computer.

The future of medical dictation

Almost 75% of health professionals say documentation impedes patient care.

However, medical dictation software is taking large steps in the right direction, saving many clinicians from stressful documentation worldwide.

Freed is the most clinician-focused company in the world. Try our AI scribe for free today.