ScribePT vs. Athelas: Which AI Scribe Is Right for Your Practice?

In today’s fast-paced rehab environment, therapists are under more pressure than ever, balancing growing caseloads with increasingly time-consuming documentation. Artificial intelligence (AI) scribes have emerged as a promising solution, but not all are created with therapists in mind. 

Two major players in the AI scribe space are ScribePT and Athelas. While both leverage AI to streamline documentation, their design, focus, and user experience differ dramatically, especially when it comes to the unique needs of rehab therapists. 

Both offer innovative features to streamline clinical documentation, but they cater to different needs and specialties. This comparison aims to help you determine which AI scribe aligns best with your practice.

Company Background

Understanding the origins and core focus of each company can reveal a lot about how well their product fits your practice. Let’s look at how ScribePT and Athelas came to be—and who they’re built for.

ScribePT

Founded with a mission to transform the healthcare experience for both patients and providers, ScribePT was born from the firsthand frustrations of physicians overwhelmed by documentation demands. What began as a solution to the growing frustrations with cumbersome electronic health record systems has evolved into a leading-edge AI scribe platform trusted by healthcare providers across the country. Built by a team of therapists, ScribePT is rooted in a deep understanding of the clinical workflow and the real-world challenges practitioners face every day.

With a focus on precision, usability, and seamless integration, ScribePT uses advanced AI to capture and document patient encounters in real time—accurately, securely, and with minimal disruption. The platform is designed to feel like a natural extension of the provider’s workflow, helping to reduce administrative burnout while improving documentation quality and patient engagement. As healthcare moves toward smarter, more connected systems, ScribePT continues to lead the charge—empowering clinicians to do what they do best: deliver exceptional care.

Athelas

While Athelas Scribe’s broad capabilities are impressive, its generalized design may overlook the unique demands of rehabilitation care. Therapists in physical, occupational, and speech therapy often follow specialized workflows, use discipline-specific terminology, and document patient progress in ways that differ from other medical fields. As a result, a one-size-fits-all solution may fall short in capturing the full context and clinical nuances essential to high-quality rehab documentation.

Athelas Scribe is a general-purpose AI medical scribe designed to serve a wide range of medical specialties. The platform offers real-time transcription of clinical encounters, automated medical coding, and seamless integration with leading EHR systems. By leveraging advanced AI, Athelas aims to reduce documentation time and streamline administrative workflows across diverse clinical environments—from primary care to specialty practices.

Core Features Comparison

The capabilities of each AI scribe solution matter greatly, especially when considering EMR integration, documentation style, and how recording is handled. To make a well-informed decision, it’s critical to understand what each solution offers and where the differences matter. 

Here’s a head-to-head breakdown of the most important features:

Technology & Accuracy

When it comes to AI medical scribing, not all tools are created equal. Both ScribePT and Athelas offer to ease your documentation, simplify your workflow, and generate accurate notes, like most of the AI medical scribes in the market. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that the real differentiator isn’t just what they do, but how they do it. The underlying technology powering an AI scribe determines not only its speed and user experience, but also its accuracy, adaptability, and long-term reliability.

ScribePT is purpose-built for rehabilitation therapists, using specialty-tuned large language models (LLMs) and adaptive speech recognition systems that evolve with clinician input. In contrast, Athelas Scribe leverages more generalized AI systems tailored for broader primary care and specialty use cases, which may not offer the same level of nuance or adaptability for the unique demands of physical, occupational, and speech therapy documentation.

While Athelas focuses on scalability across various practice types, ScribePT takes a narrower but deeper approach, enabling higher context awareness, fewer errors, and streamlined therapist interaction.

Types of AI/ML used

ScribePT utilizes a hybrid AI approach combining specialty-trained large language models (LLMs) with context-aware automatic speech recognition (ASR). These systems are continuously trained on rehabilitation-specific data, such as SOAP notes, goal-setting language, and clinical assessment phrasing. With that being said, ScribePT’s technology allows deep understanding on the subtleties of therapist-patient interactions, including nuanced terminology across physical, occupational, and speech therapy domains.

Additionally, ScribePT incorporates a feedback loop mechanism where therapist corrections feed back into the model, improving its accuracy over time on an individual and global level. Athelas Scribe, by comparison, employs a more generalized version of AI that services a wide range of specialties. While it benefits from a broader data pool, this generalization can lead to a less precise understanding of therapy-specific language and clinical objectives. Athelas does use automated transcription and LLM-generated summaries, but it lacks the depth of domain specialization that ScribePT offers. Moreover, there is less transparency around whether Athelas fine-tunes its models for each specialty or relies on a universal LLM architecture.

Accuracy of Transcriptions and Notes

Let’s be honest—when it comes to documentation, accuracy is everything. It’s not just about getting the words on the page. Accurate clinical documentation is about capturing what really happened during the session. The nuance, the clinical reasoning, the terminology that actually makes sense in a rehab setting. If your AI scribe isn’t getting that right, it’s just more cleanup work for you.

That’s where ScribePT stands out. It’s built specifically for rehab therapists—so it understands the difference between "AROM" and "PROM," or what it means when you say a patient tolerated 15 minutes of standing balance with moderate cues. Even more critically, its LLM (Large Language Model) doesn’t just transcribe, but also interpret using therapist-trained models that generates notes reflecting actual clinical reasoning, not just surface-level summaries. The transcriptions are clean, the notes reflect your intent, and the phrasing feels like something you would actually write. 

Over time, it even learns your preferences (or you can customize it with your own templates). If you tend to phrase goals a certain way or describe interventions with a particular rhythm, ScribePT picks up on that. The result? Notes are not just accurate, but they’re also personal, polished, and ready to go with minimal to zero edits. 

Athelas Scribe, on the other hand, offers a strong performance for clinics with mixed provider types, especially in primary care or general medical settings, but takes a more general approach. Its transcription engine is fast and generally reliable, and it does a decent job of summarizing conversations in a clean format. It is designed to work across many specialties, which sounds great on paper—but in practice, it often means the language can feel off, the summaries a little too vague, or the terminology not quite rehab-specific. You might find yourself reworking parts of the note just to make it clinically correct, or at least make it sound like you.

User Control Over Output

With ScribePT, you’re in control. You can guide the note the way you want, whether you’re thinking out loud in a full eval, listing out goals, or jumping between sections during a busy treatment day. It listens as you speak, and if you pause, backtrack, or change your mind mid-sentence, it adjusts without missing a beat. You’re not locked into a script or format—you get to lead, and it follows.

What therapists appreciate most is how easy it is to shape the note in real time. You can glance at the transcription as it’s happening, flag something to edit later, or reword a line on the spot. It’s like having a scribe who understands not just what you say, but how you like to say it. That means fewer edits at the end of the day with more notes that actually sound like you.

Athelas Scribe takes a different route. It’s designed to be hands-off—you talk, it listens, and it builds the note in the background. For some therapists, that simplicity is appealing. It’s quick, and you don’t have to worry about much at the moment. You just review the note after the session, make any changes if needed, and move on.

But that ease can sometimes feel limiting. You don’t have as much control over how things are organized or worded, and if the note doesn’t come out quite right, you’re often stuck editing it later. For therapists who like to be more intentional about their documentation practices as they go, that lack of flexibility can get frustrating.

Ease of Use

When it comes to choosing an AI scribe, even the most powerful features won’t matter if the tool is clunky, confusing, or slows you down. As a therapist, your focus should be on your patients, not on wrestling with software. That’s why ease of use isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential. A good AI scribe should feel like a natural extension of your workflow, not an extra task to manage. From setup to daily use, the right platform should save you time, reduce friction, and help you get through your clinical notes with less effort and more confidence.

Interface and Workflow Integration

For busy rehab therapists, the last thing you need is a tool that adds friction to your day. That’s where ScribePT really shines. Its interface is clean, intuitive, and built with therapists in mind. From evaluations to daily notes, it fits naturally into how you already document. Whether you’re charting on a laptop between patients or catching up on notes after hours, everything feels smooth, responsive, and right where you expect it.

More importantly, ScribePT doesn’t force you to change your workflow, it adapts to it. You can document in real time, post-session, or a mix of both. It works seamlessly across EHRs or as a standalone platform, with minimal toggling or backtracking. The goal is simple: reduce clicks, reduce friction, and let you focus on patient care—not on managing the tech.

Athelas Scribe, on the other hand, offers a more general interface that’s designed to support a wide range of clinicians. It’s polished and modern, and for providers working in multi-specialty or primary care settings, it integrates reasonably well into daily routines. The automation can be helpful, and its note review process is straightforward.

That said, because Athelas isn’t built specifically for rehab, the interface can sometimes feel like it’s trying to be too many things at once. Navigation may include options or templates that aren’t relevant to therapy, and the workflow isn’t always optimized for how therapists move through a session. It works—but it may require a few extra clicks or compromises along the way.

Onboarding Experience

Getting started with a new tool shouldn’t feel like learning a second language, especially when your day is already packed with patients, paperwork, and progress notes.

ScribePT makes onboarding refreshingly simple. From day one, it walks you through exactly what you need to know. The setup is quick, and most therapists are up and running in a single session. Personalized support is built into the process, and the team behind ScribePT actually understands rehab (with in-house Licensed Therapists ready to help), so they speak your language and can tailor guidance to your specific workflow.

Athelas Scribe also offers a relatively straightforward onboarding process, particularly for clinics already using other Athelas services. Their team provides general setup help, and the system itself is built to be plug-and-play across many specialties. For practices with multiple provider types, this can make the transition feel unified and consistent.

Pricing & Plans

Pricing can be a key factor when choosing an AI scribe, especially for practices balancing efficiency and budget. This section compares the general pricing models, subscription options, and availability of free trials or demos for ScribePT and Athelas.

General Pricing Structure

ScribePT offers a straightforward monthly subscription pricing model, which includes all core features like AI-powered note generation, real-time transcription, and seamless EMR integration. This predictable pricing is ideal for solo practitioners or small clinics who prefer simplicity and transparency. ScribePT also provides a free trial or demo period, allowing you to test the platform before committing.

Ready to level up your documentation? Check out ScribePT’s simple, all-in pricing and see the value for yourself!

In contrast, Athelas follows a more variable pricing structure that can depend on practice size, service bundle, and existing platform usage. While this can offer flexibility for larger, multi-specialty organizations, it may come with less clarity upfront for rehab-focused teams who just want to know exactly what they’re paying for and what’s included.

Free Trials/Demos

Trying before committing is key when it comes to AI scribes. ScribePT makes this easy with a free trial that lets you jump right in and see how it fits your workflow—from evaluations to daily notes—with no strings attached. Therapists often find they notice the difference after just one or two sessions, making it clear whether it’s the right fit.

Athelas offers demos too, but usually through a sales process that can feel less direct. Their trials are more general and less tailored to rehab therapy, which might mean extra steps before you get a true feel for how it works in your day-to-day workflow.

Final Verdict

As a rehab therapist, your time is precious and your documentation needs are unique. When choosing an AI scribe, it’s not just about having smart technology. You need a partner that truly understands your workflow, terminology, and clinical priorities. That’s where ScribePT stands apart. Built by therapists, for therapists, it’s tailored specifically to the rehab world, making your notes more accurate, your workflow smoother, and your days less burdened by paperwork.

That’s not to say Athelas doesn’t bring value. For larger practices with diverse specialties or those looking for a broad AI solution across many clinical areas, Athelas offers scalable features and solid performance. But if your focus is on rehab therapy and you want a tool that adapts closely to your style, supports your unique documentation needs, and keeps things simple and personal, ScribePT is the clearer choice.

At the end of the day, the best AI scribe is the one that feels like a natural extension of your clinical work—not just another app. For rehab therapists who want precision, ease, and a partner who truly “gets it,” ScribePT delivers.

Trusted by providers across the country, ScribePT leverages cutting-edge AI to simplify clinical documentation, saving healthcare providers time and reducing administrative stress. With real-time transcription and seamless integration into existing EMR/EHR systems, it’s designed to enhance productivity without disrupting your workflow. Take advantage of ScribePT’s next-generation AI and save up to 40+ hours a month on patient documentation.