Disseminate information to end users

Why does this matter?

Successful use of the AI product depends on the work environment and social interactions surrounding the technology, not only the performance of the technology itself. Proactive communication with end-users builds trust and buy-in. Communication channels need to be two-way and end-users need to be able to share feedback to rapidly identify challenges.

While it’s important that healthcare delivery settings are transparent with patients within the target population of AI products, most organizations do little on that front today.

Please note that while disseminating information about an AI product with end-users and affected patients promotes transparency, it does not ensure interpretability or explainability. To learn more about how and when to prioritize interpretability, please see the decision tree below:

View Full Decision Tree

How to do this?

Step 1: Build relationships and establish communication channels across organizational stakeholders

• Designate senior clinical and administrative leaders within the context of use to lead communication and marketing efforts. 
• Designate a clinical champion within the context of use to serve as a single point of contact who is responsible for responding to feedback from front-line clinicians and affected patients during the AI product rollout
• Develop a mechanism for front-line workers and patients affected by the AI product rollout to share feedback with the single point of contact. Communication mechanisms include:
  • Email addresses 
  • Online forms
• Listen to the perspectives of front-line workers or patients who are hesitant to engage with the AI product. 

Step 2: Ensure access to information about the AI product 

• Designate a technical lead who is familiar with the AI product and able to respond to questions during the AI product rollout.
• If working with an outside vendor, require disclosures about relevant information to share with end-users and affected patients when doing a preliminary assessment of the procurement of the AI product (see the guide on assessing the quality of external AI product options).

Step 3: Develop content and dissemination channels targeted to affected clinicians 

• Disseminate the following information to affected clinicians:

• Continue to host updated information on a centralized web page accessible to all front-line workers affected by the AI product.

“We had posters up on the units, we had little cards, we would hand out, we have a YouTube video, we would just go in for services, you know, at shift changes, morning shifts or nights… and then identifying superusers who would be the ones that that would train other staff”

Technical Leader

Step 3: Launch a governance committee to meet every month during the pilot period

• Define an initial pilot period for the roll-out. We recommend a minimum of a 3-month pilot period.
• Establish a governance committee with a minimum of monthly meetings during the pilot period. This committee will convene stakeholders across disciplines and make decisions about necessary changes.
• Designate a clinical lead to chair the governance committee.
• Establish a charter for the governance committee that includes making adjustments to the AI product during the pilot period, updating and disseminating information about the AI product, and informing the decision at the end of the pilot period to either continue use, update, or decommission (see the guide on determine if updating or decommissioning is necessary)
• Seek participation from the following stakeholders groups within the governance committee: a technical lead who is familiar with the AI product (if built internally) or with the modeling approach (if procured from an external vendor); administrative leaders who are responsible for the quality of care within the context of use;  and representatives from the end-user community and affected clinicians, including physician and nursing representatives. 

Step 4: Share updates and feedback about short-term outcomes with affected clinicians

• Update affected clinicians on the following questions:
  • Is the new AI product and associated workflow working? 
  • If it is working in general, how is it working for patients? 
  • Are there opportunities to improve the care provided to patients? 
• Provide general and clinician-specific feedback through qualitative and quantitative reports.

Step 5: Establish a process for sharing future updates to AI products and the work environment

• Establish a process for sharing updates about the AI product with affected clinicians. Defining the process now will ease later steps in the lifecycle when changes or adaptations need to be made to the AI product or work environment.