Patients voice concern over GP AI transcription tools
Patients have expressed concerns over the use of artificial intelligence transcription tools used during certain GP consultations.
The patient champion, Healthwatch England, has called for regulators to establish best practice standards for the use of AI scribes.
Doctors have been using AI transcription tools to help speed up note taking during consultations and they have been encouraged to roll out the use of the tools “at pace”.
But a new poll suggests that there are some visits for which patients would rather GPs did not use the AI tools.
And Healthwatch England warned the tools could “undermine trust” if patients are unaware what they are doing and what happens with their personal information.
The new poll, conducted by YouGov on 4,039 adults in England, found four in five (81%) said they want health professionals to seek their explicit consent when AI scribes are used.
Healthwatch said that because AI scribing tools are used for direct patient care, health professionals do not need to seek an ‘opt in’ from patients, but that services have been told to make people aware that AI scribing as a new technology is being used.
The survey also found:
– Public support about the use of AI scribes was split with 21% strongly opposed to their use compared with 11% strongly supportive.
– Only 29% are comfortable for the tools to be used when they are discussing sexual health and a similar proportion (28%) are comfortable for an AI scribe to be used when talking about mental health.
– Fewer still (23%) would be comfortable discussing domestic abuse when the tools are in use, but 48% said they would be fine for the tool to be used during a routine heath check.
– Patients who reported previous experience of AI scribes were more likely to say they felt comfortable with the technology, with 74% of this group reporting being comfortable with it being used compared with 43% who had not been exposed.
– Two thirds (69%) said they would feel more comfortable with AI scribes if doctors reviewed the notes produced while 63% said they would feel more comfortable if NHS services explained how personal data is used.
– Meanwhile, 58% said they would feel more comfortable if it was clarified what AI scribes are and how they support care.
One patient described a positive experience with the use of ambient voice technology (AVT) at her GP surgery but stressed that human oversight is “important”.
The 44-year-old, called Amy, said: “Usually, when I see my GP, he has to spend a lot of time looking at his computer screen and typing at his keyboard.
“But with the AVT programme taking notes instead I felt it was more of a two-way conversation, it felt more relaxed and more like he was listening to me.”
But she added: “Like any technology, AI can sometimes misinterpret information, miss important context or make mistakes, particularly when dealing with complex medical histories, accents, background noise or nuanced conversations.
“Having a doctor review the notes provides an important safeguard and helps ensure the final record accurately reflects what was discussed.”
Healthwatch England has called on the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare to ensure strong safeguards are introduced to protect patient safety and build public confidence in AI scribing, when it makes recommendations later this summer.
Chris McCann, deputy chief executive at Healthwatch England, said: “AI scribes are becoming part of healthcare and are likely to play an increasingly important role in the NHS. But our research shows that public support for these tools depends on people’s understanding of when and how they are being used.
“While many people are comfortable with AI scribes being used in routine consultations, they have greater concerns when discussing sensitive issues such as mental health, sexual health or domestic abuse.
“If people do not understand what AI tools are doing, how they support their care, or what happens to their personal information, this risks undermining trust.
“As AI is rolled out more widely across the NHS, government, regulators and healthcare providers must ensure patients are given clear information, appropriate safeguards and meaningful control over how these technologies are used in their care.”
An NHS England spokesperson said: “NHS guidance is clear that patients should always be asked if AI notetaking tools can be used during their appointment from the start – with an option to refuse if they wish – while the clinician will always remain responsible for the accuracy of the patients record when AI is used.
“AI notetaking tools are helping free up more time for clinicians to spend with their patients and are improving the quality and experience of their care.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub
