Kaiser nurses say AI, workplace surveillance are making their jobs, care worse

Kaiser Permanente nurses who handle advice and triage calls say workplace surveillance and artificial intelligence tools are pressuring them to limit call times and degrading patient care, according to interviews with seven current and former nurses published by CalMatters. The nurses said management routinely criticizes or calls performance evaluation meetings for those who spend more than 15 minutes on a call, and that call time factors into monthly performance scores. They also said Kaiser uses software to predict daily productivity and AI systems to rate empathy and tone of voice. The California Nurses Association, which represents 25,000 nurses including 1,000 in call centers, began negotiating a new contract this month with AI as a likely issue. Nurses held a one-day strike against AI in March and picketed last fall. Kaiser defended its technology use, saying it prioritizes patient safety and does not use average handle time to assess performance. Spokesperson Vincent Staupe said AI is used responsibly with human oversight. Nurses described avoiding compassionate conversations with distressed patients for fear of hurting performance metrics. Consumer Watchdog advocate Michele Ramos said time pressures reflect a pattern of managing dollars over care. Kaiser paid a record $50 million settlement in 2024 over delayed behavioral health appointments. California lawmakers are considering bills regulating workplace AI, including protections for clinicians who override automated recommendations.