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Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Practice

Case study

A higher specialist trainee, Dr X, sought MDS advice for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical practice after discussing the use of AI with their clinical supervisor, who recommended contacting their defence organisation.  

MDS Advice & Outcome

The medico-legal advisor first ascertained what AI was being used for in the clinical setting. In this case it was being used for educational purposes and to obtain guidelines and journals to aid with patient management. 

The medico-legal advisor discussed the pitfalls of AI technology such as potential for bias, hallucinations (incorrect or false outputs) and blind spots (oversights), and advised our member that decisions made based on information obtained from AI were still their clinical responsibility, and that they must maintain patient safety. 

Dr X was advised to check the sources of information carefully to ensure reliability, validity and ensure the information was relevant to the patient and up-to-date.  In addition, we cautioned that confidential patient data and sensitive information should not be entered into publicly available AI models, as there would be patient confidentiality, data protection and consent issues.

Learning points

  • It is important to distinguish the different roles that AI can have in patient management and the healthcare setting. AI can be helpful in medical education however it is important to be aware of the limitations of the technology. 
  • The ultimate responsibility for clinical decision making lies with the clinician. When using AI tools to aid patient management it is vital to consider the potential pitfalls of this technology and ensure patient safety.  
  • Be mindful of your responsibilities to protect patient confidentiality, abide by data protection laws and respect patients’ right to consent. Identifiable patient information should not be entered into publicly available AI models.

    MDS can help

    Are you unsure on how to make the correct use of Artificial Intelligence in clinical practice? Did you find yourself in a similar situation?  If you are a MDS member, call our office on 0300 30 32 442 or email or case managers at [email protected].

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