Artificial intelligence (AI) is generally defined as computer systems that can perform complex tasks that previously only a human could do, such as reasoning, decision-making, or problem-solving. AI is rapidly being integrated into our world, including healthcare. Proponents of the use of AI in healthcare believe it has the potential to make healthcare more efficient, less expensive, more accessible, and safer for patients. 

AI Software for Medical Documentation
One of the more common uses of AI in physician offices is software for medical record documentation. This AI software is being marketed as a tool to make documentation more accurate and less burdensome. AI medical documentation tools work by using advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques to analyze and interpret large amounts of data related to healthcare, including patient records, lab results, and clinical notes. A key component of these tools is natural language processing (NLP), which allows the AI to understand and generate human-like language. 
AI automates documentation by creating notes in real-time by listening to physician-patient communication. AI can collect, sort, and assemble clinical information from previous notes, laboratory results, reports, and other contents of the medical record and provide real-time recommendations using dynamic clinical data mining. Additionally, AI can automate billing and coding based on risk-adjustment factors and can also draft level-of-service recommendations.

Potential Risks of Using AI Software at Your Practice
While the advancements in AI and the opportunities to streamline processes at a doctor’s office are exciting, the use of AI in healthcare is not without risk.

We know you’ve dealt with patients who have their own agenda, who do not follow instructions, who are apathetic with their care and treatment, or who are otherwise “difficult.” These patients can be a source of frustration for you and your office staff. They take up more of your time (and your staff’s time) and tend to have poor outcomes – and consequently, also tend to be dissatisfied with your care.

Peripheral neuropathy is a general term that refers to nerve diseases that impact the nerves outside your brain or spinal cord and cause numbness, weakness, or pain, usually in the hands and feet. These conditions can result from traumatic injuries, vascular and blood problems, autoimmune diseases, hormonal imbalances, kidney and liver disorders, nutritional or vitamin imbalances, alcoholism, exposure to toxins, certain cancers and tumors, chemotherapy, or infections. One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy is diabetes.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a diagnosis that is frequently involved in medical malpractice lawsuits against podiatrists. It is not uncommon to see plaintiff attorney ads targeting individuals who have been diagnosed with CRPS. Why? Because the plaintiff’s medical expenses and other damages such as pain and suffering, lost wages, family disruption, and loss of quality of life can be quite high. Therefore, settlements or jury verdicts in these claims can exceed a million dollars.

The most common precursors to CRPS are fractures, surgery, sprains/strains, burns, cuts, being in a cast, and nerve injury. CRPS can occur in anyone at any age, but it is more common in women and in middle-aged individuals.

A patient suffers cardiac arrest while waiting in the exam room. An elderly visitor falls in the waiting room, is complaining of leg pain and is unable to get up. A diabetic staff member passes out from hypoglycemia. These are just a few examples of unexpected medical emergencies that could happen in a medical office.

As a podiatrist, you have no doubt seen patients with wounds, masses, or lesions on their lower extremities. If these wounds, masses, or lesions are later found to be skin cancer, the treating podiatrist is at risk of a lawsuit. A common allegation in these cases is a delay in diagnoses and treatment of cancer resulting in harm to the patient. Skin cancer developing on the lower extremities is not uncommon and podiatric medical physicians are in a unique position to detect these types of cancers on their patients.

If you prescribe opioids in your practice, it is important to be familiar with current clinical practice guidelines for prescribing opioids, DEA requirements, and federal and state laws and regulations to reduce your professional and administrative liability risk. In this article we will discuss some of the guidelines, requirements, and regulations relating to prescribing opioids.

Over the years, there have been many lawsuits filed against physicians because the patient was not satisfied with a surgical outcome. It could have been a post-operative complication, delayed healing, prolonged pain, cosmetically undesirable result, or a host of other reasons. In the majority of these cases, the physician was found to have acted within the standard of care and the case was eventually dropped or in the event the case went to trial, the jury found in favor of the physician. In the meantime, a lot of time, effort, money, frustration, and stress was spent on claims in which the medicine was good.

So, Why Do These Patients Sue?
This quote by S. Jay Jayasankar, MD is insightful, “The patient’s expectation, not ours, is the yardstick by which our patients measure the course of recovery, occurrence of complications, and the outcome.” If the patient’s expectations are not met, the patient is more apt to sue, regardless of whether malpractice occurred.

Regardless of how long you've been practicing, you have undoubtedly come across a patient that has unrealistic expectations for surgery. This typically manifests in an unhappy post-operative patient. The patient may complain that their scar is too big, their recovery is taking too long, they are not able to return to work when they want, they cannot return to sports activities as quickly as they would like, they can’t wear stilettos, and the list goes on. And as we all know, an unhappy patient is more likely to file a lawsuit than a happy patient.

As you could probably surmise, amputations are a leading factor in malpractice suits against podiatrists. So, how do you reduce the risk that a complication will result in amputation? And if amputation is necessary, how can you reduce the risk of a lawsuit being filed?