Usage Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 What This Policy Covers

This Usage Policy applies to all users of PreConsult, including:

• Healthcare practitioners who review patient information and AI suggestions
• Administrative staff who manage patient sessions and appointments
• Organisation administrators who oversee PreConsult implementation

1.2 Why This Policy Exists

PreConsult provides powerful AI tools that can significantly improve clinical efficiency and patient care. However, like all clinical tools, they must be used appropriately. This policy ensures:

• Patient safety through proper human oversight of AI outputs
• Clinical quality through appropriate use of decision support
• Regulatory compliance with healthcare and privacy laws
• Professional standards alignment with medical codes of conduct
• Ethical AI use that augments rather than replaces clinical judgment

1.3 Regional Feature Availability

Where features are described below that are not available in your region, those sections do not apply to your use of PreConsult. Contact your organisation administrator or PreConsult support if you have questions about feature availability.

2. Core Principles

3. Practitioner Responsibilities

3.1 Before Using AI Suggestions

Practitioners must:

• Complete any required PreConsult training for their organisation
• Understand the capabilities and limitations of AI clinical decision support
• Be appropriately qualified and registered to provide the clinical services in question
• Have access to complete patient information (not just AI summaries) when needed

3.2 During Clinical Review

When reviewing patient sessions and AI suggestions, practitioners must:

• Review the full patient history — not just the AI summary
• Verify AI suggestions against their clinical knowledge and patient presentation
• Consider information not captured — AI may miss nuances from physical examination, non-verbal cues, or contextual factors
• Exercise independent judgment — especially when AI suggestions seem inconsistent with clinical presentation
• Accept, modify, or dismiss each suggestion based on clinical merit

3.3 Documentation Standards

Practitioners must ensure that:

• Clinical documentation accurately reflects the consultation
• AI-generated content that is used is reviewed and approved
• Modifications to AI suggestions are documented where clinically relevant
• The final clinical record meets professional documentation standards

4. Using AI Suggestions

4.1 Differential Diagnosis Suggestions

PreConsult may suggest possible differential diagnoses based on patient-reported symptoms and history. When using these suggestions:

4.2 Treatment Consideration Suggestions

PreConsult may suggest treatment considerations based on identified conditions. These are informational only:

4.3 Understanding AI Limitations

AI suggestions have inherent limitations that practitioners must understand:

• Information gaps: AI only knows what the patient reported — it cannot perform physical examination or access external records
• Unusual presentations: AI may miss atypical presentations of common conditions or rare conditions
• Context limitations: AI may not fully account for local factors, recent outbreaks, or patient-specific context
• Currency: AI knowledge has a training cutoff and may not reflect the most recent guidelines
• Probabilistic nature: AI generates probable suggestions, not definitive answers

5. Patient Information Handling

5.1 Informed Consent

Patients should be informed that:

• Their pre-consultation information is collected through an AI-powered interview
• AI technology is used to structure and summarise their information
• A qualified practitioner reviews all information before their consultation
• They can speak directly with their practitioner about any concerns

5.2 Access and Confidentiality

Users must:

• Only access patient information when there is a legitimate clinical or administrative need
• Not share patient information with unauthorised individuals
• Not access patient records out of curiosity or for non-clinical purposes
• Log out of sessions when not in use
• Report any suspected privacy breaches immediately

5.3 Patient Rights

Patients have the right to:

• Decline to use the AI interview and provide information directly to staff
• Request human review of any AI-processed information
• Access their health information as collected
• Request corrections to inaccurate information

6. Billing Code Suggestions

6.1 Purpose of Billing Suggestions

PreConsult may suggest billing codes based on documented services. These suggestions are intended to:

• Reduce administrative burden and coding errors
• Prompt consideration of appropriate billing items
• Improve billing accuracy and completeness

6.2 Practitioner Obligations

When using billing code suggestions, practitioners must:

• Verify appropriateness: Ensure the suggested code accurately reflects the service provided
• Check requirements: Confirm all billing requirements are met (time thresholds, documentation, etc.)
• Reject inappropriate suggestions: Do not use codes that don't match the actual service
• Maintain records: Documentation must support any billing claims

7. Clinical Documentation

7.1 AI-Generated Summaries

PreConsult generates clinical summaries from patient interviews. When using these:

• Review the summary for accuracy before incorporating into clinical records
• Edit or supplement as needed based on consultation findings
• Ensure the final documentation reflects your clinical assessment
• The AI summary is a draft — the approved documentation is your responsibility

7.2 Integration with Clinical Records

When exporting or copying PreConsult information to clinical records:

• Verify accuracy before finalising in your practice management system
• Ensure documentation meets professional and regulatory standards
• Maintain appropriate audit trails

8. Prohibited Uses

The following uses of PreConsult are strictly prohibited:

8.1 Clinical Prohibitions

• Using AI suggestions as the sole basis for clinical decisions without independent verification
• Providing AI-generated diagnoses directly to patients without practitioner review
• Using PreConsult for emergency or life-threatening presentations (direct patients to emergency services)
• Overriding clear clinical contraindications because AI suggested otherwise
• Using PreConsult outside your scope of practice or registration

8.2 Administrative Prohibitions

• Sharing login credentials with other users
• Accessing patient information without legitimate need
• Exporting or copying patient data for unauthorised purposes
• Disabling or circumventing security controls
• Using the system for non-healthcare purposes

8.3 Billing Prohibitions

• Submitting billing claims for services not actually provided
• Upcoding (using higher-value codes than appropriate)
• Unbundling services to increase reimbursement
• Accepting billing suggestions without verifying appropriateness

9. Quality and Feedback

9.1 Reporting AI Errors

If you identify errors or concerns with AI suggestions, please:

• Use the feedback mechanisms within the platform to flag issues
• Provide specific details about what was incorrect and why
• Report safety-critical errors within 24 hours to your organisation administrator and to PreConsult at safety@preconsult.ai

For US practitioners: HIPAA-related concerns should also be reported promptly. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

9.2 Continuous Improvement

Your feedback helps improve PreConsult for all users. We encourage:

• Reporting patterns of errors you observe
• Suggesting improvements to interview questions or workflows
• Sharing successful use cases with your organisation

9.3 Quality Monitoring

PreConsult and subscribing organisations may monitor usage patterns to:

• Identify potential quality or safety issues
• Improve AI model accuracy
• Ensure compliance with this Usage Policy
• Support clinical governance requirements

10. Training Requirements

10.1 Initial Training

Before using PreConsult, users should complete:

• Platform orientation provided by their organisation
• Review of this Usage Policy
• Understanding of AI limitations and appropriate use

10.2 Ongoing Education

Users are expected to:

• Stay informed about platform updates and changes
• Review updated policies and guidelines
• Participate in quality improvement activities as required

11. Compliance and Enforcement

11.1 Monitoring

PreConsult maintains audit logs that record:

• User access to patient information
• Acceptance, modification, or dismissal of AI suggestions
• Billing code usage
• Export and sharing activities

11.2 Policy Violations

Violations of this Usage Policy may result in:

• Warning and required retraining
• Temporary suspension of access
• Permanent termination of access
• Notification to the subscribing organisation
• Reporting to professional bodies or regulators where required by law

11.3 Reporting Concerns

If you become aware of potential policy violations or safety concerns:

• Report to your organisation's administrator or compliance officer
• Contact PreConsult at compliance@preconsult.ai
• For serious safety concerns, contact relevant regulatory authorities