Study finds ChatGPT provides inaccurate drug information responses
A study presented at the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting found that ChatGPT's responses to nearly three-quarters of drug-related questions were incomplete or inaccurate. The AI system also generated fake citations to support some responses. Researchers warned that healthcare professionals and patients should verify ChatGPT's medication information using trusted sources to avoid potential harm.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
8 source articles · read the reporting →
UNOS liver allocation policy reduces transplants in poorer states
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) implemented a new liver allocation policy in 2020 called the acuity circles system, which prioritizes the sickest patients regardless of location. An analysis by The Markup and The Washington Post found that the policy led to sharp declines in liver transplants in several Southern and Midwestern states and Puerto Rico, while increasing transplants in New York and California. Patients in affected states allege the system disadvantages poorer regions, and hospitals have sued to overturn the policy.
- Company involved
- United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
- AI system involved
- Acuity circles liver allocation policy
10 source articles · read the reporting →
NHS plans AI to listen to appointments and generate notes
The UK's National Health Service announced plans to use AI to automatically generate notes from patient appointments. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the scheme would reduce admin time. Privacy campaigners raised concerns about data security and accuracy, citing an incident where AI misheard the chief medical officer's name. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that patient confidentiality remains a top priority.
- Company involved
- National Health Service (NHS)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
ChatGPT Health fails to direct 52% of medical emergencies to emergency care in study
A study published in Nature Medicine found that OpenAI's ChatGPT Health tool under-triaged 52% of true medical emergencies, directing users to non-urgent care instead of emergency departments. The AI also misclassified 35% of non-urgent cases. Researchers at Mount Sinai conducted 960 tests across 60 clinical scenarios, noting the tool's susceptibility to anchoring bias when symptoms were minimized. The study highlights potential safety concerns as millions use AI for health guidance.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT Health
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Security Health Plan used AI to cut off nursing home care for 85-year-old woman
Frances Walter, an 85-year-old woman with a shattered shoulder, had her nursing home care payment cut off by Security Health Plan after an algorithm predicted she would recover in 16.6 days. The algorithm, nH Predict from NaviHealth, did not account for her severe pain and allergy to pain medicine. She was forced to spend her life savings and enroll in Medicaid while fighting the denial. A federal judge later ruled the denial was speculative and she was owed thousands of dollars.
- Company involved
- Security Health Plan
- AI system involved
- nH Predict
1 source article · read the reporting →
Hospitals Use OpenAI’s Whisper Despite Medical Transcription Hallucinations
OpenAI’s Whisper transcription tool is used by over 30,000 medical workers and can insert fabricated text into patient records. Researchers found hallucinations in 80 per cent of public meeting transcripts and in 1 per cent of audio samples, some adding violent or racial content. Mankato Clinic and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are among 40 health systems using Nabla’s Whisper-powered copilot, which erases original audio recordings. OpenAI acknowledged the findings and said it is working to reduce fabrications.
- Company involved
- Mankato Clinic; Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- AI system involved
- Whisper
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Brookdale Senior Living algorithm blamed for understaffing at assisted-living facilities
Managers at Brookdale Senior Living, the largest assisted-living chain in the US, allege that an algorithm called 'Service Alignment' set staffing levels so low that facilities were dangerously short-handed. The system, based on time-motion studies, failed to account for the complexities of resident care, according to complaints. Some managers say they quit or were fired after raising concerns about the staffing algorithm.
- Company involved
- Brookdale Senior Living
- AI system involved
- Service Alignment
1 source article · read the reporting →
Penn Medicine study: kidney algorithm reduced Black transplant access
For years, a clinical algorithm used for the national kidney transplant waitlist made Black patients appear healthier than they were, making it harder for them to secure transplant spots. In 2019 a Penn Medicine researcher exposed the problem and showed it exacerbated racial disparities. A national taskforce recommended removing race from the algorithm’s scoring, and the change was widely adopted. Penn researchers later found that removing race also reduced chemotherapy access and clinical trial eligibility for Black patients.
- AI system involved
- kidney function algorithm
1 source article · read the reporting →
U.S. hospitals' race-based eGFR calculation delayed Black kidney patients' transplants
For years, U.S. transplant hospitals used a race-based version of the eGFR equation to estimate Black patients' kidney function. The adjustment inflated Black patients' readings, delaying their referral to the kidney transplant waitlist and leaving some to die or deteriorate on dialysis. After years of advocacy, the United Network for Organ Sharing prohibited the race-based calculation in 2022 and required transplant programmes to revise affected patients' waiting times.
- Company involved
- U.S. transplant hospitals
- AI system involved
- eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
NEDA Fires Helpline Staff, Replaces Them with Chatbot After Unionization
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) fired four full-time helpline staff and announced the shutdown of its 20-year-old helpline, replacing it with a chatbot named Tessa. The staff had recently unionized and won an NLRB election, leading to allegations that the move was union busting. NEDA claims the chatbot, a rule-based system developed by Washington University, is a separate program to better serve the community, but the union and critics argue it cannot replace human empathy and may cause irreparable harm. The helpline is set to end on June 1, 2023, with volunteers asked to become testers for the chatbot.
- Company involved
- National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
- AI system involved
- Tessa
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Hospital Denies Pain Medication to Patient Based on Narx Score
Elizabeth Amirault, a 34-year-old chronic pain patient, was denied narcotic pain medication during a hospital visit in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in August 2022. A nurse practitioner told her that her Narx Score, generated by Bamboo Health's NarxCare platform, was too high to prescribe opioids. The algorithm uses prescription drug monitoring data to assess risk of misuse, but critics say it can harm patients by cutting off needed care. Amirault believes her score was unfairly high due to her multiple surgeries and doctors.
- AI system involved
- NarxCare
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Arkansas algorithm slashed home care for disabled people, causing suffering
In Arkansas and other states, algorithms were used to allocate home care hours for disabled and elderly people, replacing nurse judgments. The system assigned hours based on a scoring tool that failed to account for specific disabilities, leading to drastic cuts. Many suffered severe harm, including bed sores, missed meals, and one death. After lawsuits, Arkansas's system was thrown out in 2018, and Idaho's was declared unconstitutional.
- Company involved
- Arkansas state government
1 source article · read the reporting →
AI transcription tools produce errors in social work records
AI transcription tools used by social workers in English and Scottish councils have been found to produce inaccurate transcripts and summaries, including false indications of suicidal ideation and 'gibberish' notes. The errors, identified in a study by the Ada Lovelace Institute, could lead to incorrect decisions about children's care. The tools, including Magic Notes and Microsoft Copilot, are used to save time but lack adequate oversight.
- Company involved
- Multiple local authorities in England and Scotland
- AI system involved
- Magic Notes,Microsoft Copilot
8 source articles · read the reporting →
