Health care facility inspections project

The opportunity

CDPH regulates over 14,000 health care facilities. They conduct periodic inspections and investigate complaints. A single inspection can result in hundreds of of pages of notes.

When an inspection is complete, inspectors use their notes to compile a report. There is extensive editing with their supervisors on things like grammar and formatting. Documented findings of deficiencies must withstand legal challenges and appeals. This requires appropriate detail, supporting evidence, consistency, and no errors. The amount of time this takes creates challenges to meet demand in a timely and effective manner.

How we’re exploring GenAI

CDPH is testing how GenAI can support human inspectors in the report-writing process. The inspector will still be the expert in the field and their notes will be the basis of the reports. They’re looking at how GenAI can link findings to state and federal requirements. The goal is to create more objective, consistent reports.

This project is also exploring how much time GenAI can save inspectors. If it takes less time to write reports, inspectors can spend more time doing highly skilled investigative work. They hope this will increase inspectors’ job satisfaction and reduce turnover.

Learn more about CDPH’s health care facility inspections project on Cal eProcure.