Medical Matters: Integrating AI applications into CPSA’s regulatory work

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By Ed Jess, Chief Innovation Officer

As Chief Innovation Officer, I’m fortunate to lead our Analytics, Innovation & Research (AIR) department here at CPSA. One of my areas of focus is understanding how CPSA can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to optimize and support our regulatory work and enhance patient care in Alberta.

Broadly speaking, AI is the simulation of human intelligence processes by computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning and self-correction. Ideally, applying AI technologies to CPSA’s work will help our teams perform their functions more efficiently and effectively. This could include using AI for data analysis, predictive analytics and to enhance decision-making processes.

AI applications within CPSA

Working alongside our partner organization, Alberta’s Tracked Prescription Program (TPP), AIR has provided valuable data throughout the development of a machine learning (ML) model called the opioid risk model. Machine learning (ML) is a branch of AI that allows machines to automatically learn from data and past experiences and make predictions with minimal human intervention. The purpose of this ML model is to identify patients who may be at higher risk for adverse outcomes (such as emergency department visits, hospitalization and mortality) within 30 days of an opioid dispensation. In 2023, we collaborated with a group of opioid agonist therapy prescribers to assess the benefits of receiving a weekly risk score for their patients, identified through the opioid risk model. This collaboration produced positive results and feedback. We are now exploring adding the opioid risk model to MD Snapshot-Prescribing, an existing tool sent quarterly to physicians in Alberta who prescribe opioids and benzodiazepines (among other monitored medications). You can read more about this potential addition in the accompanying July Messenger article and provide your feedback by completing a short survey.

AI applications across Canada

AI and regulation are top of mind in Alberta and across Canada. I had the privilege of meeting with colleagues from across the country at the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC) Annual Meeting in June. CPSA, along with the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and the Canadian Medical Protective Agency (CMPA), participated in a panel on AI in health care. We presented our work developing the opioid risk model, the MCC demonstrated how they use AI to enhance organizational efficiency, and the CMPA shared some of the legal challenges associated with the use of AI in medical practice. What became evident throughout our panel discussion is that the evolution of AI technology has reached a stage where it can be integrated into crucial roles in healthcare regulation and other settings.

AI applications for physicians

Many physicians are eager to learn how AI tools can improve workflow within their practice and reduce the administrative work that comes with the practise of medicine. The Artificial Intelligence in Medical Systems Society (AIMSS) is a group in Alberta focused on empowering health care through the responsible use of AI. This not-for-profit, interdisciplinary organization began in 2019 as a student group at the University of Alberta. They are initiating a study called Evaluating the Use of Artificial Intelligence Scribe Tools in Decreasing Physician’s Perception of Administrative Burden and Increasing Patient Satisfaction. This study aims to explore the integration of AI scribe tools in health care, particularly by monitoring their impact on reducing administrative workload and enhancing the quality of patient care. Physicians who become study participants will receive a free trial of a Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)-compliant AI scribe technology for two months to incorporate into their regular workflow. For more information about this study, please reach out to Dr. Amira Aissiou at amira@aimss.ca with ‘AI SCRIBE’ in the subject line.

AI in health care is becoming more ubiquitous every week and has the potential for vastly more productive health systems. Ensuring the ethical use of AI in regulation, including transparency in AI decision-making processes, is crucial for maintaining public trust and accountability. In the coming months, CPSA will continue to encourage physicians to be creative and innovative as they explore AI, while we balance privacy and data security concerns so Albertans receive safe and high-quality care.