Veterans Affairs Identifies 100+ AI Use Cases to Deliver Better Service

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has identified more than 100 AI use cases to date. According to VA Chief Technology Officer Charles Worthington, in a recent briefing to the House VA Committee, 40 of these use cases are currently in an operational phase and are actively being deployed in the field.

“The department believes that AI represents a generational shift in how our computer systems will work, and what they will be capable of. If used well, AI has the potential to empower VA employees to provide better healthcare, faster benefits decisions, and more secure systems,” said Worthington.

Among the AI use cases listed by the VA is a Machine Learning-Based Application for informed clinical decision-making. According to the VA, changes in microbiome data from pre-diabetic patients over 4 months will be used in PredictMod software to show response to ketogenic diet intervention.

“The software will use this data to create an algorithm that will be able to use single time point microbiome data to predict which veterans with prediabetes would benefit from a dietary intervention, versus which patients would not benefit from a diet intervention and require medication. This tool would help develop earlier, more effective treatment plans for veterans with prediabetes,” it said in a blog post. 

Moreover, the IT department of the Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking to recruit AI experts to assist in enhancing the agency's digital healthcare tools. The Office of Information and Technology (VA OIT) is planning a comprehensive revamp of the digital services crucial for veterans accessing VA health care and benefits.

Kurt DelBene, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the VA, reported told journalists that his office is making a “modest request” to hire more AI specialists in response to not only President Biden’s recent AI executive order but also to meet the increase of benefits applications under the PACT Act (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022).