AI transcriptions are no time-saving measure for doctors | Letters
Dr Mary Gibbs says there are a number of problems with AI, particularly its tendency to misunderstand, as Debbie Cameron can attestI am an out-of-hours GP, and I am glad...
By Guardian Staff · The Guardian Opinion
Dr Mary Gibbs says there are a number of problems with AI, particularly its tendency to misunderstand, as Debbie Cameron can attest I am an out-of-hours GP, and I am glad to see a news report on this issue, which has been causing me increasing concern at work ( Doctors’ AI scribes get names of drugs and diagnoses wrong, NHS watchdog warns, 31 August ). There are a number of problems with AI, particularly its tendency to misunderstand and contradict itself, which can lead to dangers for the patient, but I will concentrate on the supposed “time-saving” aspect. Many of the patients I see will have been assessed by someone else first on the phone, and I am used to reading through a triage assessment before I call in the patient. My heart sinks when I see that AI has been used – the consultation is invariably long, with duplications, and sometimes contradictions. Often, any history I take turns out to be significantly different from what is listed. So I can never trust that it is correct – I can state with certainty that I find meaningful errors far more often in AI consultations than in those typed out by colleagues. Continue reading...