Artificial intelligence (AI) won the battle between man versus machine after a pilot study found that the technology outperformed clinicians in triaging post-operative patients for intensive care.
AI was able to correctly triage 41 out of 50 patients (82% accuracy) during the study, while surgeons had an accuracy rate of 70% after correctly triaging 35 patients. The number of incorrect triage decisions was also the lowest for AI, which had an 18% rate. Surgeons had a 30% rate.
The findings could lead to more AI usage when trying to acquire a patient’s clinical information for determining if they need intensive or post-operative care.
“The algorithm will be improved and perfected as the machine analyzes more patients, and testing at other sites will validate the AI model. Certainly, as shown in this study, the concept is valid and may be extrapolated to any hospital,” said study co-author Marcovalerio Melis, MD.
Details from the pilot study were presented during the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2019 this week.
