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As clinicians, we are committed to delivering the highest quality patient care. Advancements in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), are pushing people across industries to evolve. AI has the potential to enhance clinical efficiency and accuracy, but it also introduces new ethical considerations. Our focus at PredictionHealth has been on integrating AI ethically into physical and occupational therapy through the Practice Intel platform and Sidekick, our AI documentation assistant.
But technology can’t just be integrated into people’s workflows at the flip of a switch. Good technology companies should strive for “one-click” simplicity, but healthcare workflows are complex. We’ve done our best to make onboarding and our services easy and would like to share what we’ve learned along the way. Below are some key considerations for thoughtfully integrating AI into healthcare organizations and clinical practice.
Over a Decade in AI and Healthcare
The PredictionHealth R&D team has an extensive clinical, AI, and data processing background. Publishing papers and training models was critical, but our team wanted to make a bigger impact. We saw a unique opportunity to improve the day-to-day life of clinicians and care for patients. To this day, we hear the words of our mentors—“improving healthcare with technology requires a thoughtful combination of people, process, and technology.”
Our practice analytics platform, Practice Intel, has long been the backbone of data management and analytics for physical and occupational therapists. It consolidates and cleanses practice data, offering valuable insights that help improve operational efficiency and patient outcomes. With the foundation laid by Practice Intel, we introduced Sidekick—an AI-driven documentation assistant designed specifically for physical and occupational therapists.
Sidekick’s primary function is to assist in documentation, helping clinicians create more accurate and complete patient records. However, as with any powerful tool, its use must be governed by careful consideration of its ethical implications.
Ethical AI Implementation Starts with Setting Expectations
Managing expectations is one of the most significant ethical challenges in deploying AI in healthcare. AI tools like Sidekick can be highly impressive, showcasing advanced capabilities in demos and real-world applications. However, setting realistic expectations for how these tools should be used in practice is crucial.
Every AI brand should stress the importance that clinicians understand that AI is an assistive tool, not a replacement for their clinical judgment. Despite their capabilities, AI solutions are not infallible—clinicians have the most comprehensive knowledge of their patients, and their judgment is paramount in ensuring that documentation is accurate. A clinician mindful of current limitations can expertly review and complete documentation 50-75% faster while hitting a higher bar for quality and compliance.
Best practice: AI products should incorporate visuals and messaging embedded directly in the product. For example, reminders throughout Sidekick’s user interface, including at login and during various stages of the documentation process, underscore that while Sidekick can be immensely helpful, it must be used judiciously with clinicians constantly reviewing and verifying the AI-generated content. Prediction confidence should also be thoughtfully communicated to the user so they can focus on areas where models are more uncertain.
Additionally, sales teams should manage their customers’ expectations during the sales process to ensure that users understand their role in validating the tool's results while the product's functionality shines.
AI Workflow Integration: Real-World Settings are Hectic!
Another ethical aspect of AI integration is ensuring it fits seamlessly into the clinician's workflow. In the fast-paced environment of physical and occupational therapy, interruptions are expected. Therapists start documenting only to be called away to assist a patient or handle another urgent task before they’re done with the note.
When selecting an AI partner for your rehab therapy practice, look for solutions that allow interaction per section rather than inserting an entire note with a single click. This way, if a therapist is interrupted, they can easily return to where they left off without sifting through a screen filled with text to determine which parts are reviewed and ready. This type of functionality ensures you choose a thoughtful partner aligned with the practical realities of clinical practice.
The Importance of AI Accuracy
In healthcare, accuracy is critical. The stakes are high, as documentation errors can lead to improper treatment decisions, ultimately affecting patient outcomes. Treatment settings can be loud, with background music, equipment noise, and therapists actively moving around with patients. AI tools are also probabilistic and carry an inherent risk of generating incorrect information, known as "hallucinations."
AI solutions should be built on rigorous accuracy standards to mitigate this risk. Ask your vendor how they account for or include extensive accuracy benchmarking, continuous monitoring, and a robust feedback loop to incorporate insights from internal testers and clinical users.
Be sure to ask about the tools and infrastructure an AI company uses to monitor the AI’s performance over time so they can identify and address any issues that may arise. If your therapists see problematic cases, do they have the ability to flag them and raise the issue with the product team? A good AI partner will actively ask for feedback and make it easy for clinicians to flag any cases or issues that could be improved. This feedback loop helps an R&D team regularly improve performance.
Our Commitment to Ethical AI Integration
At PredictionHealth, we believe that focusing on key areas—setting expectations, considering clinical workflows, and ensuring stringent accuracy standards—enables the ethical integration of AI into physical and occupational therapy. Sidekick is designed to support, not replace, clinical expertise. We’re proud to provide therapists with a powerful tool to simplify their work and enhance their practice. The benefits of AI are massive, and we encourage clinicians to explore such solutions from any trusted vendor.
As AI continues to evolve, we remain committed to maintaining these ethical standards, ensuring that our tools meet clinicians' needs and uphold the highest levels of patient safety and care quality. Just removing the burden of documentation has freed up many of our therapists to refocus that time on their patients. With thoughtful implementation, AI can be a valuable ally for all skilled therapists.
If you have questions or if we can help, reach out. Our mission is to make it easy for every patient to get the best care every time.
PredictionHealth is dedicated to supporting physical and occupational therapists with advanced AI tools that enhance practice efficiency and patient outcomes. Practice Intel and Sidekick are part of our ongoing commitment to providing innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of the therapy community.