AHA blog responds to BCBS report suggesting hospitals’ use of AI documentation tools drives increased healthcare costs

An AHA blog published Oct. 5 responds to a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association report suggesting that hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence-enabled documentation tools is driving higher healthcare costs through increased coding intensity. “Correctly assessing the clinical status of a patient is imperative to delivering high-quality care,” write Molly Smith, AHA group vice president of policy, and Jen Holloman, AHA director of health IT policy. “Patients today are older and more clinically complex, and new artificial intelligence tools are helping providers appropriately capture their patients’ conditions to aid in care planning … The central question is not whether hospitals are reporting more diagnoses. The question is whether the patient’s medical record supports those diagnoses. BCBSA’s analysis insinuates conclusions about AI-enabled coding without reviewing the underlying medical records to determine whether reported diagnoses were clinically supported.” READ MORE