Kaiser Permanente nurses report AI surveillance impacts care

Nurses at Kaiser Permanente report that increased workplace surveillance and artificial intelligence are negatively impacting both job satisfaction and patient care. Current and former advice and triage nurses claim that management uses software to track call lengths, with those exceeding 15 minutes facing criticism or performance reviews.

In addition to monitoring productivity, AI systems are reportedly used to evaluate nurses' empathy and tone of voice. These concerns arise as the California Nurses Association (CNA) begins negotiating a new contract for 25,000 nurses, with AI expected to be a central issue. The CNA has previously organized strikes and pickets regarding the use of AI.

Kaiser Permanente has defended its use of technology, stating that it employs AI with human oversight and patient safety in mind, while denying that it uses ‘average handle time’ to assess performance. As the largest private employer in California, the company’s management practices may set significant precedents for the broader healthcare sector.