In a previous post, we discussed the current uses of AI in the healthcare industry, and in a follow-up post, we looked at the first 5 of 11 policy recommendations made by Connected Health in a report titled “Policy Principles for Artificial Intelligence in Health.”
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The report suggests 4 goals for healthcare AI systems:
- Improving population health
- Improving patient health outcomes and satisfaction
- Increasing value by lowering overall costs
- Improving clinician and healthcare team well-being
Below are the remaining 6 policy proposals.
Ethics
The medical industry has a long-standing and well-developed system of ethics in place that the report says needs to be used to guide the development and use of healthcare AI technologies.
Modernize Privacy and Security Frameworks
Using AI to collect, analyze, and store sensitive patient data will require re-evaluating and modernizing existing privacy and security frameworks to support advanced technology.
Collaboration and Interoperability
The report recommends fostering collaboration among policymakers, health AI technology developers and users, and the public to promote eased data access.
Workforce Issues and AI in Health Care
The combination of an aging population and lower birth rates means that AI will be critical in increasing the productivity and efficiency of the smaller cadre of medical professionals treating a relatively larger patient population.
Bias
Data bias and errors are expected to remain an issue with AI systems, so steps should be taken to identify, disclose, and mitigate bias, as well as to ensure that bias does not cause harm to patients or consumers.
Education
This is two-fold. Policymakers are encouraged to include a curriculum in academic and medical education that advances providers’ understanding of and ability to use health AI solutions, and the report recommends that patients and consumers also be educated to help them better understand how AI is being used to treat them.
AI has the potential to dramatically change the healthcare industry, but because of the enormous size and importance of this industry, such a powerful tool needs to be used carefully and responsibly. Expect to see a growing number of policy recommendations as AI’s healthcare footprint continues to grow.