As a part of a joint synthetic intelligence pilot program with Microsoft and Epic that initially launched in 2023 – and out of a rising want to handle workforce shortages and rising demand for healthcare – UW Well being nurses have begun testing how a big language mannequin may assist draft responses to affected person questions despatched by way of the well being system’s affected person portal.
“It’s important that we as nurses are a part of the dialog on the subject of utilizing this know-how to look after sufferers,” in line with Rudy Jackson, chief nurse govt at UW Well being.
WHY IT MATTERS
Messages drafted utilizing the LLMs are reviewed and edited, the Madison, Wisconsin-based well being system mentioned in its announcement on June 6.
Since September, greater than 75 UW Well being nurses have began utilizing generative AI to create greater than 3,000 affected person messages throughout greater than 30 departments.
Affected person info accessed by the generative is saved non-public and safe throughout the digital well being data system, UW Well being mentioned.
The nurses have known as it “fascinating.”
“I’ve discovered having a draft to start out from useful, and I’m glad I may present suggestions on enhancements and options to make sure this could be a good device for nurses and have a constructive affect on our sufferers,” Amanda Weber, registered nurse clinic supervisor for UW Well being, mentioned in an announcement.
UW Well being mentioned that it goals to form how AI can profit sufferers, nursing and the healthcare trade as an entire and elevate its tutorial nursing applications.
“We’re desperate to strive modern strategies to make sure our nurses have the instruments they should deal with caring for his or her sufferers,” Jackson added.
THE LARGER TREND
UW Well being can also be working with Epic on a new effort to democratize well being AI validation that goals to standardize the method of testing AI fashions towards native inhabitants knowledge.
“Most healthcare organizations as we speak wouldn’t have the capabilities or personnel for native mannequin testing and monitoring,” Mark Sendak, inhabitants well being and knowledge science lead at Duke Institute for Well being Innovation and a pacesetter of the Well being AI Partnership, informed Healthcare IT Information final month.
UW Well being is partnering with the multi-stakeholder group for peer studying and collaboration to check Epic’s first open-source device and create steerage for utilizing AI in healthcare.
The hassle “is likely one of the issues that is going to construct belief amongst finish customers,” added Brian Patterson, UW Well being’s medical informatics director for predictive analytics and AI.
ON THE RECORD
“It’s important that we as nurses are a part of the dialog on the subject of utilizing this know-how to look after sufferers,” Jackson mentioned in an announcement. “It’s thrilling to see our nurses examine this know-how and supply observations and proposals to make it higher.”
Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT Information.
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Healthcare IT Information is a HIMSS Media publication.