VA’s use of generated AI poses potential risks to patients

Users can provide clinical information and prompts to the AI ​​chat tool, and its output can be used to support medical decision-making or copied into the patient’s electronic health record. Image: Nicolas Ospina Soriano/Shutterstock.com

An inspector general report warned that the Veterans Health Administration’s use of generative artificial intelligence chat tools for clinical care and documentation could jeopardize patient safety.

According to the management advisory, VHA is allowing the use of AI chat tools for clinical care and documentation. Users can provide clinical information and prompts to the AI ​​chat tool, and its output can be used to support medical decision-making or copied into the patient’s electronic health record.

“However, generative AI can produce inaccurate outputs that contain omissions, which can impact diagnostic and treatment decisions,” the report said, the latest in a series of warnings about the need for controls as government agencies increase their use of AI.

The VA policy acknowledges that the use of AI “presents new risks and unknown consequences that may have a significant negative impact on Veterans’ privacy and safety,” the IG said. During an extensive review of the department’s use of AI, auditors said they learned that major offices were not collaborating “in the area of ​​AI chat tools for clinical use” and that VHA “does not have a formal mechanism to identify, track, and resolve risks associated with generative AI.”

“The OIG is concerned about VHA’s ability to promote and protect patient safety without standardized processes to manage AI-related risks. Additionally, the lack of processes impedes means to detect feedback loops and patterns that could improve the safety and quality of AI chat tools used in clinical settings,” the report said.

“Given the serious nature of the issue, OIG will share these preliminary findings widely to ensure VHA leadership is aware of this risk to patient safety,” the report said. Due to the special advisory nature of this report, there was no comment from management.

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