Every few weeks, a clinician shows me something they have built. 

It might be an artificial intelligence (AI) scribe tailored to initial assessments, a dashboard that identifies patients drifting away from their exercise program or a tool that helps triage a growing waitlist. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has come to dominate the tech sphere over the past five years and its influence has spread into other fields, including healthcare.

Its growing presence has prompted the APA to release a position statement on the use of AI in physiotherapy.

While other bodies such as Ahpra have already released statements about AI, we felt it was important to provide guidance specific to physiotherapy.

Two of the most common areas of risk for physiotherapists are complaints made against them and cybercrime. 

Complaints 

Ahpra’s 2023–24 annual report provides an overview of the agency’s activity in the previous year. 

The new Ahpra portal is secured by multifactor authentication (MFA) and is the new way to manage all aspects of your registration. 

MFA is a security process that requires users to verify their identity using two or more methods before gaining access to an account. 

Physiotherapy clinics may be an attractive target for cybercrime, given how valuable patient data and personal health information are to cybercriminals. 

Knowing your risks is key to being prepared. However, as a physiotherapist, how do you navigate risk in today’s digital landscape? 

Many businesses are more vulnerable to cyber risk than they realise. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming integrated into everyday healthcare, thanks to its potential to transform and support new ways of working. 

How does the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) affect our physiotherapy skills? 

AI presents a fascinating paradox for physiotherapists— incredible opportunities for advancement alongside potential risks to fundamental clinical abilities. 

While cyber risks may not be front of mind in day-to-day practice, it’s important to be aware that they exist, especially in the healthcare industry.