Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: What are the different classifications of AI in the CPT^® code book?

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Answer: CPT^® Appendix S categorizes artificial intelligence (AI) into three main hierarchies based on “the clinical procedure or service provided to the patient and the work performed by the machine on behalf of the physician or other qualified healthcare professional (QHP).”

These AI classifications are as follows:

• Assistive: The machine works to detect only clinically relevant data. A physician or QHP must interpret the data and report the results.
• Augmentative: The machine performs the work and analyzes or quantifies the data “in a clinically meaningful way.” This category also requires a physician or QHP to interpret and report the data.
• Autonomous: The machine performs the work, then automatically analyzes the data, interprets the information, and produces clinically relevant conclusions independently without physician or QHP involvement.

Don’t miss: Because autonomous AI can operate almost without human interaction, CPT^® includes three different levels of autonomous AI, which differ based on the amount of physician involvement.