VA Launches AI Tech Sprint to Counter Healthcare Worker Burnout

care workers, is developing tools to address clinician burnout. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at reducing healthcare worker burnout using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The VA has launched an AI Tech Sprint competition on Challenge.gov, inviting tech experts to create innovative solutions that will lessen the administrative burden on healthcare workers, enabling them to devote more time to patient care.

The AI Tech Sprint competition, which runs until January 5, 2024, is focusing on the development of AI dictation tools that can assist clinicians in note-taking during medical consultations. Additionally, the competition is calling for AI tools capable of analyzing and summarizing patient medical records. Winning teams stand to share in a total prize pool of $1 million.

In the latest AI news, Gil Alterovitz, the director of VA’s National Artificial Intelligence Institute, highlighted the VA’s aim to utilize AI to ensure that clinicians have comprehensive access to a veteran’s medical history, even if the veteran has received care outside of the VA medical system.

Shereef Elnahal, Under Secretary for Health, expressed optimism that the AI Tech Sprint solutions will not only reduce clinician burnout but also enhance veteran healthcare services. This initiative is part of a broader government-wide AI talent surge called for by President Joe Biden to strengthen the federal workforce’s capacity to lead in this emerging technology.

The AI Tech Sprint is anticipated to advance the work of the Reduce Employee Burnout and Optimize Organizational Thriving (REBOOT) Task Force. This task force was established by the Veterans Health Administration last year to develop strategies to combat clinician burnout, based on feedback from frontline VA health care workers.

Kavitha Reddy, associate director of employee whole health in VHA’s Office of Patient-Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, acknowledged that paperwork is a significant burden for healthcare providers. She sees AI as a potential solution to this problem, acting as an AI text generator to reduce the time spent in front of a computer and allowing more time for patient interaction.

The REBOOT task force is also working on strategies to improve staff retention and reduce burnout. Jessica Bonjorni, VHA’s chief of human capital management, emphasized the importance of having sufficient staff to manage the workload. VHA exceeded its workforce growth targets for FY 2023 and saw a 20% decrease in the turnover rate among VHA employees compared to the previous year.

The task force is developing solutions based on feedback from approximately 30 chief well-being officers stationed across VA health care facilities. These officers listen to frontline employees, analyze their feedback with facility management, and devise ways to implement their ideas and suggestions.

In response to employee feedback, VHA is offering more flexible work schedules to VA clinicians, particularly nurses. Bonjorni mentioned that some registered nurses are now working a “72 for 80” schedule, which allows them to work three 12-hour shifts each week. This new scheduling system reflects best practices in private health care organizations and has been shown to reduce burnout and turnover, leading to overall cost savings.

The REBOOT task force is promoting flexible scheduling as more employers explore alternatives to the traditional five-day workweek. This initiative, combined with the use of AI tools such as an AI images generator and AI video generator, is set to revolutionize the way healthcare workers operate, reducing burnout and improving patient care.