Abstract
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has operated its B Reader Program for over fifty years. Originally intended as a screening program for black lung disease, it has since received a broadened mandate to cover other occupational pneumoconioses, such as silicosis. At the same time, the B Reader Program itself has witnessed a consistently declining pool of participating physicians, alongside high levels of subjectivity and possible financial conflicts of interest. This supply-demand mismatch will exacerbate the burden upon current B Readers and complicate employer compliance with federal screening requirements. This represents a particular niche for AI-enabled radiology tools, which stand to ease physician workload, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and further the public health objectives of routine screening. NIOSH should consider establishing a pilot program for these applications within its existing technology development infrastructure and utilize its rulemaking authority to facilitate scaling.
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