College Blog
More and more physiotherapists are curious about using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their work. We’re hearing from them at workshops, conferences and through the College’s Practice Advice service.
Some are already trying out AI tools to help with things like record keeping, treatment planning, and analyzing patient data.
AI can help reduce the administrative burden on health-care workers, giving them more time to spend with patients. But it’s also essential to understand the risks.
Importantly, AI can’t replace your professional judgement or the personal connection you have with patients. It also can’t notice the small details and nuances that allow you to ‘read’ the patient in front of you.
You can think of AI as a helpful assistant – but you, as the physiotherapist, are still responsible for all patient care.
To help you use AI responsibly, the College has created a set of guiding principles called TRUST.
These principles do not add any new rules. Instead, they identify key requirements from existing standards and legislation, helping you apply them in the context of emerging AI technologies.
In this blog post, we’ll explain how to apply the TRUST Principles, using AI scribes as an example.
Make sure you review the AI Principles and AI Checklist in full for more detailed information.
What Is an AI Scribe?
An AI scribe is a digital tool that listens to clinical interactions between a physiotherapist and a patient and creates clinical notes.
The physiotherapist reviews and edits these notes in real-time and/or before entering them as part of the patient’s record.
What to Keep in Mind When Using an AI Scribe
The TRUST Principles are designed to be applied to any AI tool you’re thinking of using in your practice. Here, we use AI scribes as an example.
Transparency & Consent
Openly discuss and obtain informed consent from patients for the use of AI in their care.
Explain how the AI scribe works, what data it collects and how the patient’s personal health information will be kept secure. Be ready to answer any questions the patient may have.
Ask the patient if they’re comfortable with you using an AI scribe to help with note taking during their appointments. If they’re not, be ready to take notes without the help of AI.
Responsibility
Physiotherapists are responsible and accountable for the accuracy of any inputs and checking and verifying outputs of AI when used in care.
Review all AI-generated notes to ensure they are accurate and complete.
The ultimate responsibility for patient care, including maintaining an accurate clinical record, remains with you, the physiotherapist.
Understanding Bias & Limitation
Assess and adjust your use of AI when applying to different populations.
Any artificial intelligence tool is only as good as the data sets it was trained on.
For example, if an AI scribe hasn’t been trained to listen to physiotherapy appointments specifically, it might not recognize words like “kinesio taping” or “plinth.” This could lead to mistakes or omissions.
Additionally, depending on the data set used for training, the tool may misinterpret cultural and linguistic nuances.
The patient population also matters. An AI tool that was trained on a data set made up of mostly young people, could make more mistakes when used with seniors.
Be aware of the AI scribe’s biases and limitations and be prepared to adjust and correct the notes it creates.
Security
Comply with legal requirements to protect your patients’ personal health information.
Verify with the vendor that the AI system employs strong encryption and adheres to Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) standards.
Most vendors are pleased to provide documentation confirming compliance.
If you work at a large institution like a hospital, it may not be possible to speak with the vendor directly. In this case, confirm with your employer that the AI tool is compliant with PHIPA standards.
Training
Engage in ongoing professional development to maintain or enhance your competence with AI.
Regularly update your knowledge on responsible AI use and share best practices with colleagues.
Stay current with any updates and best practices for the AI tools you use in your practice.
Looking Forward: A Note from the Registrar
By Craig Roxborough, Registrar and CEO
When we look at the evolving role of AI in health care, there’s a lot to be excited about. By automating routine tasks, AI can allow practitioners to spend more time on direct patient care.
We know many physiotherapists are interested in using AI tools and are conscious of the risks they introduce.
The College’s new AI Principles are an early step in what will be an ongoing journey to support you as we navigate the implications of this new technology.
Our Practice Advisors are here to help if you have questions.
As I said in a previous blog post on AI, “proceed with optimism and caution.”
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