In a groundbreaking development in the field of mental health, the Sheba Medical Center collaborated with Microsoft and KPMG to create a system called “Lib” based on generative artificial intelligence. This system aims to assist psychiatrists in the initial assessment of patients with various mental conditions, such as post-trauma, anxiety, depression, and emotional distress. Through this collaboration, the researchers found that the system could accurately identify patients with different mental states with a high level of accuracy.
The demand for mental health services has been on the rise in recent years, especially following significant events like the war and October 7. Despite this increasing demand, the field has faced challenges such as limited resources, a lack of standards, and a shortage of therapists. Recognizing the potential of Microsoft’s AI technology, the Sheba Medical Center embarked on a research project to leverage artificial intelligence in mental health care.
The goal of the research conducted at the Sheba Medical Center was to develop an AI platform that could support psychiatrists in diagnosing and sorting patients in the field of mental health. The result was the creation of “Lib,” an interactive conversational tool that allows patients to have a voice or written conversation in Hebrew and receive a personalized character to engage with. This innovative system is designed to provide a diagnosis and personalized treatment recommendations based on the conversation with the patient.
The researchers compared the recommendations of “Lib” with those of human psychiatrists and found a high agreement rate of over 94%. Participants in the study reported that their interaction with the AI system was empathetic and attentive, sometimes even more so than with human therapists. The promising results of the study will be presented at the HIMSS conference in March 2024.
The use of generative AI in mental health care holds great potential to bridge the existing gaps in manpower and provide more effective and available treatment to patients. By leveraging AI technologies like Microsoft Azure, the system ensures user privacy and maintains security. The Sheba Medical Center aims to implement “Lib” in the near future to bring significant value to patients in Israel and worldwide.
In conclusion, the development of AI technologies like “Lib” presents a transformative opportunity for mental health care, enabling therapists to reach more patients, provide better care, and streamline the diagnostic process. The system’s ability to personalize treatment recommendations and engage with patients in a natural language is a significant step towards improving mental health services and addressing the growing demand in the field.