Assisting the infection preventionist: Use of artificial intelligence for health care–associated infection surveillance

Background Health care–associated infection (HAI) surveillance is vital for safety in health care settings. It helps identify infection risk factors, enhancing patient safety and quality improvement. However, HAI surveillance is complex, demanding specialized knowledge and resources. This study investigates the use of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative large language models, to improve HAI surveillance. Methods We assessed 2 AI agents, OpenAI's chatGPT plus (GPT-4) and a Mixtral 8×7b-based local model, for their ability to identify Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) and Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) from 6 National Health Care Safety Network training scenarios. The complexity of these scenarios was analyzed, and responses were matched against expert opinions. Results Both AI models accurately identified CLABSI and CAUTI in all scenarios when given clear prompts. Challenges appeared with ambiguous prompts including Arabic numeral dates, abbreviations, and special characters, causing occasional inaccuracies in repeated tests. Discussion The study demonstrates AI's potential in accurately identifying HAIs like CLABSI and CAUTI. Clear, specific prompts are crucial for reliable AI responses, highlighting the need for human oversight in AI-assisted HAI surveillance. Conclusions AI shows promise in enhancing HAI surveillance, potentially streamlining tasks, and freeing health care staff for patient-focused activities. Effective AI use requires user education and ongoing AI model refinement.