A survey conducted by Carta Healthcare found that while the majority of clinical data abstractors believe artificial intelligence (AI) could improve their workflow, most do not have access to AI-powered tools in their workplace. The findings highlight a gap between AI’s perceived benefits and its availability within healthcare systems.
AI could reduce workload but access remains limited
The survey, conducted nationally in November 2024, revealed that 85% of clinical data abstractors believe AI could reduce time, effort, and costs associated with data abstraction. Additionally, 83% said AI could lessen clinicians’ administrative workload, while 75% expected it to speed up data entry. Half of the respondents also believed AI could improve data quality.
Despite this enthusiasm, 61% of abstractors reported that their employers do not provide AI-based solutions for data abstraction. However, over half (53%) said they would like their organization to adopt AI tools, with only 7% opposing the idea.
While AI is seen as a potential solution for handling clinical data, concerns remain about its accuracy. About 69% of respondents expressed reservations about AI-generated data quality, and the same percentage cited concerns over the lack of human oversight in AI-powered abstraction. Nevertheless, 54% of abstractors said they were optimistic about AI integration, while only 15% had negative views.
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Carta Healthcare states that its approach to AI in data abstraction combines AI-driven automation with human oversight, aiming to enhance efficiency without compromising accuracy. According to the company, hospitals and health systems using its AI-powered platform have reported a 50% reduction in costs, a two-thirds decrease in per-case abstraction time, and an average inter-rater reliability (IRR) score of 98-99%.
“The manual clinical data abstraction process is long overdue for transformation, and no one understands that better than those who perform these duties every day,” said Brent Dover, CEO of Carta Healthcare. “These findings show that abstractors want to reduce the time and cost of manual abstraction while ensuring high-quality data for the healthcare community.”
Dover acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding AI in healthcare but noted that Carta Healthcare’s AI-powered platform has already been recognized with industry awards, including the Merit Award, Pinnacle Award, and BIG Innovation Award.
Methodology
The survey was conducted by Reaction Data, a healthcare-focused market research firm. Respondents opted in based on their expertise in clinical data abstraction. Only qualified responses were included in the final dataset.
Carta Healthcare specializes in clinical data abstraction, using AI technology and human expertise to improve the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare data entry. The company recently acquired Realyze Intelligence, a patient-matching software vendor, as part of its efforts to enhance AI-driven healthcare solutions.
Featured image credit: Carta Healthcare
