AHA urges need for flexibility in regulation of AI in health care

AHA May 6 responded to a request for information about the current state of artificial intelligence in health care from Rep. Ami Bera, M.D., D-Calif., urging that any regulation of the technology needs to be flexible to keep pace with innovation and allow caregivers to apply it for patient benefit.

"Technology is most effectively regulated based on how and where it is used, and this sector-specific approach has allowed the relevant oversight organizations to tailor the specifics of their regulation to the risks associated with the uses of the technology," AHA wrote (https://www.aha.org/lettercomment/2024-05-06-aha-response-representative-bera-artificial-intelligence-health-care-sector). "AI is not a monolithic technology, and thus a one-size-fits-all approach could stifle innovation in patient care and hospital operations. Such an approach may even prove inadequate at addressing the risks to safety and privacy that are unique to health care. Just as software is regulated based on its use across different sectors, the AHA urges Congress to consider regulating AI’s use in a similar manner.”

AHA suggested that adapting existing technology-focused regulatory frameworks to accommodate the unique aspects of AI could be a more efficient and effective approach than creating new ones from scratch.