What regulation to promote responsible AI in healthcare looks like
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As healthcare practitioners, performing and delivering patient-focused, respectful, and ethical medical treatment and care is paramount. Doctors, surgeons, and qualified nursing practitioners who have obtained the requisite qualifications through online NP programs and other industry-accredited degrees must consider their duty of care toward patients at all times. Not least, when it comes to adopting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their practice.
As we will discuss today, the adoption of AI has many advantages for the healthcare sector. But, if we choose to embrace the use of AI to perform healthcare functions, we need to ensure its implementation is both considered and responsible.
Let’s discuss.
AI in Healthcare: What Is It?
In our increasingly digitized world, constant advancements in digital technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence are transforming healthcare practices. The potential applications of AI technology in healthcare are multifaceted, including:
Utilizing AI Robotics for Surgical Procedures
AI robotics can be used in the surgical theater for both minimally invasive and also, more complex functions. For instance, by using an AI robot’s mechanical arms to perform certain surgical procedures, surgeons can minimize the margin for human error, and also, experience fewer surgery-related complications.
AI for More Efficient Data Management, Reporting and Analysis
Artificial intelligence and data management go hand in hand. Indeed, AI programming can store, analyze, and report on vast amounts of data more quickly and efficiently than human eyes ever could.
Faster Medical Diagnoses Facilitated by AI and Predictive Analytics
AI machine learning and predictive analytics are invaluable in enabling faster-than-ever medical diagnostics. Through the use of predictive analytics, AI can trawl historical medical data to predict and preempt future instances of disease, illnesses, and public health conditions.
AI-supported Customer Service and Patient Communications
In healthcare, AI can also be utilized to support communication with patients. Some examples of the customer service functions AI can perform include:
- Scheduling and sending appointment reminder messages.
- Offering personalized health tips based on a patient’s diagnosis.
- Suggesting future steps towards better health and recovery.
How Can We Ensure Healthcare AI Usage is Responsible?
Yes, it would appear that the advantages of employing AI for healthcare functions cannot be denied. But for AI in healthcare to be considered responsible, we must also consider the ethical ramifications of using AI to perform the healthcare functions humans ordinarily would. Some of these considerations include common patient apprehensions about the use of AI in healthcare, such as:
Is using AI to perform healthcare functions safe?
Patient safety is paramount in healthcare. Using AI and robotics to perform the healthcare functions a human usually would begs the question – is it safe? For AI to be used responsibly in healthcare, its usage must be implemented with caution – and with the necessary regulations and contingencies in place.
Can patients exercise informed consent toward the use of AI?
Although AI has proved its many advantages for the healthcare system, there will of course still be patients who are reluctant to adopt the use of AI in their medical treatment and care. Responsible use of AI in medical practice, then, should allow patients to practice informed consent in terms of AI usage. If patients prefer not to use AI, this should be their prerogative.
Will using AI increase healthcare costs?
Another common concern is that using advanced digital technology such as AI will increase the cost of receiving medical treatment. There is also the concern that health insurance companies may not cover the costs of healthcare procedures performed by AI.
To combat this, healthcare leaders must take into consideration the already rising costs of healthcare today, and do all possible to ensure pricing for medical procedures is as fair and accessible for patients as possible.
For AI usage to be ethically adopted in healthcare, it needs to be responsible. For this to be possible, several ethical issues must be considered – for example, whether AI usage is safe, whether it will increase the cost of receiving medical treatment, and perhaps most importantly, if patients will be provided the opportunity to exercise informed consent when it comes to AI.
Importantly, it’s only by maintaining transparency and honesty when it comes to the use of AI in medical treatments that healthcare practitioners can uphold their duty of care to their patients.
