Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Find out if AI will save staff time for more important tasks.

You may think that your lab’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) is a topic for the future, but it’s likely that you’re already using it in some way.

In short, AI is the computerized automation of any task that had been performed manually in the past. In the future, some experts believe AI may eventually take over certain complex tasks in the future, like writing pathology reports or coding charts.

But simpler AI technology is already being deployed to help practices operate in a more streamlined way. Here are five ways your pathology practice or clinical lab might use AI now or in the future to make operations more efficient.

1. Scanning Claims Prior to Submission

Some AI programs may allow you to use machine learning to scan your claims before you submit them to look for missing or problematic fields or documentation that are expected to lead to claim denials. This can then allow you to verify and (when applicable) fix any issues so your claims will be processed more smoothly.

Keep in mind that this technology is probably not yet advanced enough to know whether you have a denial coming unless you’ve pre-programmed the software to look for certain criteria. The machine learning program will use the data you put into it to develop a training dataset, which the technology compares to new information when the AI is activated.

If you decide to deploy this type of technology at your practice, work with the software developer to help you put in the right data to properly train the AI system so it knows what to look for.

2. Sending Automated Patient Reminders

If your front desk team is still calling patients about their lab or pathology appointments, you might be able to release them from that duty with the use of AI, leaving your front desk staffers with more time to spend on important tasks, like pre-authorizing procedures or following up on denials.

If you program your software correctly, an AI system can send appointment reminders to patients through email, text or an app, and can even get the patient to confirm the appointment and fill out any missing paperwork.

You can also program the AI to customize the patient reminder based on the service they’re going to get. For instance, if a patient is scheduled for fasting labs, the AI could remind them not to eat or drink anything for a certain number of hours prior to the appointment. Or, if a patient is coming in for a procedure requiring anesthesia, the AI can remind them to have a companion with them who can drive them home after the procedure is over.

3. Performing a Pre-Review During Audits

Deploying AI to dig through documentation during the auditing process can be a substantial timesaver. In this step, the technology assists you by reviewing the documentation and automatically flagging possible coding errors or gaps in the documentation so you can take a closer look.

For example, suppose your staff is auditing 1,000 pathology records. You might have the AI scan all of the records first for missing fields, such as a missing diagnosis code or a missing signature. Once those charts are identified, they can be removed from the set that needs to be manually audited, saving your auditors time later.

4. Transcribing Dictation

Gone are the days where you need a human to listen to recordings of notes or pathology reports and transcribe them before entering them into the medical chart. AI medical dictation software allows for transcribing in real time as the provider says the words into the system.

This allows you to get the notes into the patient’s medical record much faster than in the past, and allows your staff to free up time that they could be spending on other responsibilities.

Many systems now allow you to enter in your providers’ shorthand terminology so the AI can automatically convert those terms into what should be in the medical record. For instance, if your doctor dictates the phrase “IP with IHC” frequently, you can program your transcription software to transform that into “immunophenotyping with immunohistochemistry” when it ends up in the medical record.

5. Quality Control for Pathology Storage

Several app- and web-based temperature control systems are available that allow labs to control the temperature of pathology storage areas. In addition, some technologies use an AI program to alert you if the temperature goes up or down beyond a set point so you are aware of any disruptions to your storage.

More, an AI system can create reports for you that show the temperature of your storage area at any given date or time to provide you with a quality control log so you’re confident in your sample storage.

Torrey Kim, Contributing Writer, Raleigh, N.C.