Penda Health and OpenAI clinical copilot shows promising results

Investing.com -- A new AI clinical copilot developed by Penda Health in partnership with OpenAI has shown promising results in reducing medical errors, according to a study released Tuesday.

The study, involving 39,849 patient visits across 15 clinics in Nairobi, Kenya, found that clinicians using the AI Consult tool experienced a 16% relative reduction in diagnostic errors and a 13% reduction in treatment errors compared to those without access to the system.

Penda Health, a primary care provider operating in Nairobi since 2012, built the AI Consult tool to provide clinicians with real-time recommendations at key moments during patient visits. The system acts as a safety net that activates only when potential errors are detected, keeping clinicians in full control of decision-making.

The copilot, powered by GPT-4o, integrates with electronic health records and runs in the background during patient visits. It provides feedback through a color-coded system: green checkmarks for no concerns, yellow alerts for moderate concerns, and red pop-ups for safety-critical issues.

"We believe this outcome was the result of three key factors," OpenAI stated in its announcement. These include a capable AI model, clinically-aligned implementation co-developed with users, and active deployment efforts to help clinicians understand and utilize the tool effectively.

The study, conducted between January and April 2025, showed particularly strong results in cases where AI Consult would have returned at least one red alert, with diagnostic errors reduced by 31% and treatment errors by 18% in these instances.

Beyond error reduction, the system also appeared to have educational benefits. Clinicians using AI Consult triggered fewer red alerts over time, suggesting they were learning to avoid common pitfalls even before receiving AI feedback.

All clinicians surveyed in the AI group reported that the tool helped improve their care quality, with 75% saying the effect was "substantial."

The research was approved by the AMREF Health Africa Ethical and Scientific Review Committee, the Kenyan Ministry of Health, Digital Health Agency, and the Nairobi County Department of Health, and conducted under a research license from Kenya’s National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation.

Penda Health is now running a randomized controlled trial with PATH to further measure effects on patient outcomes.

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