# Detecting algorithmic bias in medical-AI models using trees

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.02959 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.02959/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 14 of its 52 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 5 Dec 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 14 of 14)

- [XGBoost: A Scalable Tree Boosting System](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1603.02754/) (2016)
- [Equality of Opportunity in Supervised Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1610.02413/) (2016)
- [Counterfactual Fairness](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1703.06856/) (2017)
- [Certifying and removing disparate impact](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1412.3756/) (2014)
- [Fair prediction with disparate impact: A study of bias in recidivism prediction instruments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1610.07524/) (2016)
- [Inherent Trade-Offs in the Fair Determination of Risk Scores](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1609.05807/) (2016)
- [Preventing Fairness Gerrymandering: Auditing and Learning for Subgroup Fairness](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.05144/) (2017)
- [A Clarification of the Nuances in the Fairness Metrics Landscape](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.00467/) (2021)
- [Understanding Failures of Deep Networks via Robust Feature Extraction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.01750/) (2020)
- [Towards Accountable AI: Hybrid Human-Machine Analyses for Characterizing System Failure](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.07424/) (2018)
- [Fairness Under Composition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1806.06122/) (2018)
- [A Survey on Intersectional Fairness in Machine Learning: Notions, Mitigation, and Challenges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.06969/) (2023)
- [Explaining Algorithmic Fairness Through Fairness-Aware Causal Path Decomposition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.05335/) (2021)
- [Identifying Biased Subgroups in Ranking and Classification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.07450/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Early Prediction of Sepsis: Feature-Aligned Transfer Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.02889/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

With the growing prevalence of machine learning and artificial intelligence-based medical decision support systems, it is equally important to ensure that these systems provide patient outcomes in a fair and equitable fashion. This paper presents an innovative framework for detecting areas of algorithmic bias in medical-AI decision support systems. Our approach efficiently identifies potential biases in medical-AI models, specifically in the context of sepsis prediction, by employing the Classification and Regression Trees (CART) algorithm with conformity scores. We verify our methodology by conducting a series of synthetic data experiments, showcasing its ability to estimate areas of bias in controlled settings precisely. The effectiveness of the concept is further validated by experiments using electronic medical records from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. These tests demonstrate the practical implementation of our strategy in a clinical environment, where it can function as a vital instrument for guaranteeing fairness and equity in AI-based medical decisions.