Seguridad del paciente e inteligencia artificial: oportunidades y desafíos para la prestación de atención médica

The introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of generative artificial intelligence (genAI), garnering attention across all sectors of the economy. In health care, there is hope that genAI may improve care safety and quality, lower costs, and enhance both patient and clinician experiences. However, there are also concerns that genAI may introduce new threats to patient safety.

In January 2024, the IHI Lucian Leape Institute convened an expert panel to further explore genAI’s promise and potential risks for patient safety. The goal of the expert panel was to identify areas where genAI could enhance safety, name potential threats, and suggest ways to maximize benefits and minimize harm. The panel reviewed the literature on AI and patient safety and engaged in a robust in-person discussion that focused on three likely use cases for genAI in health care: documentation support, clinical decision support, and patient-facing chatbots.

Based on the IHI Lucian Leape Institute expert panel’s review and discussion of AI implications for patient safety, this report summarizes:

• For the three use cases, the potential benefits, risks, and challenges of genAI implementation in clinical care;
• A detailed review of mitigation and monitoring strategies and expert panel recommendations; and
• An appraisal of the implications of genAI for the patient safety field.

As part of their work to explore the promise of genAI and its potential risks for patient safety, the expert panel also reviewed considerations for key groups and provided specific recommendations and mitigation strategies for these audiences:

• Patients and Patient Advocates
• Clinicians
• Safety and Quality Professionals
• Health Care Systems
• GenAI Developers
• Researchers
• Regulators and Policymakers

How to Cite This Document: 
Lucian Leape Institute. Patient Safety and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges for Care Delivery. Boston: Institute for Healthcare Improvement; 2024. (Available at ihi.org)

Related Content

• Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Implications for Patient and Workforce Safety: This IHI Innovation Report serves as foundational content for the IHI Lucian Leape Institute report.