Could artificial intelligence help reduce medical errors?

On Behalf of | Sep 29, 2020 | Firm News

When you go to the doctor, you expect that you will eventually be in better shape than you were during your initial visit. However, medical errors and malpractice can make a tough situation even worse. Hospitals and health care providers are always looking for ways to reduce medical mistakes. One potential area of promise involves the use of artificial intelligence.

Researchers are looking into whether the use of “ambient intelligence” can help improve patient outcomes. Some forms of ambient intelligence are already being used in “smart” homes and cars.

In a medical setting, ambient intelligence can have a variety of applications. For example, it can alert the staff if a visitor or an employee failed to wash their hands when entering or exiting a patient’s room. It can also send an alert when life-saving measures are necessary.

The number of bedside interactions required for a patient can be astronomical. By one count, clinician’s in a hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit engaged in 600 patient interactions, per bed, per day. With so many interactions and the fact that even the most conscientious person can make mistakes, any form of assistance to reduce medical errors would be more than welcome.

Of course, we are a long way from perfecting this type of technology. Instances of medical malpractice still occur and still pose a real risk to all types of patients. When a person suffers serious harm due to malpractice, they may need substantial compensation to help them live their lives. A skilled legal professional can help determine your options if you have a malpractice claim.