"Missed Opportunity": What Can Be Learned From AI's Failures

We all tend to ignore clichés because we’ve heard them so often, but some are worth repeating. “We learn more from failure than success” comes to mind. While it may be overused, it nonetheless conveys an important truth for anyone involved in digital health. Two types of failures are worth closer scrutiny: algorithms that claim to improve diagnosis or treatment but fall short for lack of evidence or fairness; and failure to convince clinicians in community practice that evidence-based algorithms are worth using.

Among the AI-based algorithms that has attracted attention is one designed to help clinicians predict the onset of sepsis. The Epic Sepsis Model (ESM) has been used on tens of thousands of inpatients to gauge their risk of developing this life-threatening complication.