Problem
Clinical documentation, such as writing clinical notes, generates a significant amount of administrative work. This process is time-consuming and takes away valuable time that could be spent on direct client care. AI tools have the potential to assist with this documentation-heavy process. However, AI documentation tools are new and novel, and it is unclear what impact, if any, they have on documentation quality. Such uncertainty is problematic in regulated health services, where professional licences are connected in part to documentation practices. Uncertainty also challenges a given clinician’s ability to trust the output of AI.
Solution
Benefits
In other research at KidsAbility, we have found AI can reduce the time it takes to produce clinical documentation by 25-50%. Such time savings have important implications for access to care, but important uncertainties exist about the reliability and accuracy of such technology. This research contributes to our understanding of the risks and benefits of using AI in regulated health professions. It clarifies that AI tools are unlikely to produce clinical documentation of lesser quality than a therapist would produce on their own, and should improve the level of trust therapists place in AI tools. The improvement in consistency of documentation is a benefit that can be added to the productivity boost they can provide.
