Artificial Intelligence in Interprofessional Healthcare Practice Education – Insights from the Home Health Project, an Exemplar for Change

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology in professional practice is regarded as the latest disruption to challenge ethical, societal, economic, and educational paradigms. It is becoming a contemporary narrative in our healthcare and educational discourse as it is thought to improve decision-making, education, patient care, and service delivery. If such benefits are to be realised it is important to ensure that our understanding of AI is underpinned with curricula to educate healthcare professionals about AI. Practitioners can then be better informed to participate fully in digital initiatives in their field. Few if any studies articulate a clear process in curricula design for professional practice and healthcare education. Therefore, an understanding of real-world applications of AI education for most professions is limited. As a result, there is an imperative to establish a sustainable learning space for professional healthcare practice education. This paper presents novel experiences, within a virtual lab environment, for the application of AI in healthcare. We identify and problematise insights into the AI competencies required for AI in professional healthcare practice education. With reference to our novel living lab titled, the Home Health Project, we present an interconnected case study model that suggest theoretical underpinning and opportunities to develop practitioner education pedagogy using AI concepts, concluding with a three-step proposal when delivering AI curriculum for this context.