Software for psychiatrists: how to choose

A psychiatrist in private practice already uses medical software for prescriptions, billing and records. What remains heavy is the writing. Consultation reports, letters to the GP, certificates. That is often where a second tool saves the most time.

The needs of a psychiatry practice

• Medical software. Prescriptions, insurance claims, the medical record. It is the foundation, and there is no reason to replace it with a writing tool.
• Reports. What was said in the consultation, the examination, the treatment, next steps. See our article on the psychiatric consultation report.
• Letters. To the GP, a colleague or a hospital. See our article on the letter to the GP.
• Certificates. They follow precise rules. See our article on medical certificates in psychiatry.

How to choose a writing tool

1. Where the data is hosted

Your records hold health data covered by medical confidentiality. Check where it is stored and which certification the host holds. In France, a provider hosting health data for you must be HDS certified (article L1111-8 of the Public Health Code). See our article on HDS hosting.

2. Time saved on writing

Check whether the tool actually writes the report from the consultation, or leaves you to type everything. The best test is to try it on a real day.

3. Following progress over time

From one consultation to the next, you need to find what was said, treatment changes and progress. A good tool shows you without rereading every note.

4. Your style

A psychiatrist's report has its own form. Check that the tool follows yours, and that you can easily correct what it produces.

5. The contract

You remain responsible for your patients' data. Under the GDPR, you need a data processing agreement with the provider (article 28). Also check that your data is not used to train models.

Questions to ask before you commit

• Where is the data hosted, and is the host certified for health data?
• Is my data used to train models?
• Can I easily correct the report before filing it?
• Can I get my records back if I stop?
• Can I try it without commitment?

How Delta works

Delta is an AI assistant designed with psychiatrists. During the consultation, Delta transcribes what is said, then writes the report, taking your specialty into account. You can also dictate your observations right after. The report is added to the patient's record, so you find the whole history at the next consultation. Delta also writes your letters, for example to the patient's GP.

Delta does not handle prescriptions or billing. You keep your medical software for that.

Data stays in Europe, on infrastructure certified for health data (HDS), and AI processing runs on servers located in France. The patient's name and any information that could identify them are pseudonymised before reaching the AI, no audio file is kept, and the data is never used to train models. Delta works on computer, tablet and phone. More details on the Delta for psychiatrists page.