Using AI for Progress Notes and Treatment Plans
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made huge advances in recent years, and now software exists that can generate clinical documentation like progress notes and treatment plans. As technology continues progressing quickly, I think it’s important we have open discussions about the ethical application of these tools in mental healthcare. In this post, I’ll analyze some potential pros and cons of having an AI assistant complete progress notes and treatment plans.
Potential Pros
– Saves clinicians time on paperwork allowing more time for client care
– Allows clinicians without strong writing skills to generate clear, comprehensive notes
– Progress notes could pull data from session transcriptions for accuracy
– Takes over routine documentation tasks to reduce clinician burnout
Potential Cons
– Risk of errors, oversights, or biased language without human checks
– Progress notes may feel impersonal or lacking empathy if AI-generated
– Ethical issues around proper consent procedures and transparency
– Could reduce opportunities for documenting meaningful observations
– Templates restrict adaptability needed for capturing unique dynamics
– Potential issues with insurance audits
While AI note and treatment plan writing tools hold promise to enhance clinical efficiency, currently available options remain limited. GPT-3 by Anthropic has shown an ability to generate human-like content, though without context on clinical best practices. Companies like Lyssn.io offer a basic note writer, but output requires heavy editing and lacks adaptive responses. Startups like Saykara aim to integrate data-driven note assistants into EHR platforms like Epic, but have faced implementation barriers. The most advanced AI documentation options available presently come from contract companies like Robin Healthcare which combine predictive text algorithms with human assistant oversight and corrections. However, this remains prohibitively costly for most individual or small group practices at this time.
Ultimately, while rapid progress is happening, AI tools likely need further development of both independent language capacities and integration with workflow/training oversight before becoming a realistic documentation support for widespread mental health clinics. But the potentials continue looking promising. AI has incredible potential to augment and enhance human capabilities when applied judiciously. We must ensure these technologies uplift clinical relationships rather than reduce personalization. Ongoing consideration around ethics and equitable access will be vital as these tools evolve.
