Needs in a Support System for the Creation of Care Plans Utilized Artificial Intelligence: Focus Group Interview with Care Managers

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study conducted by a focus group interview was to investigate the needs for support of care management by using artificial intelligence (AI), mainly the needs involved in creating care plans. The subjects in this study were 15 care managers who had had sufficient experience. We discussed two matters with the care managers in 120 minutes: ①the possibilities of supporting the creating of care plans by using AI; ②the roles to be played by care managers but not AI in the process of creating care plans.

The result of qualitative analysis of the interview contents indicated that AI may be able to support such aspects as needs analysis, setting patterned goals, the complementary nature of knowledge and information, among the functions required in the creation of care plans. Through this kind of support by AI, care managers may be able to focus on the interpersonal support operations such as relationship building with users and their families, motivation of users decision support, and so on.