Health Care Faces Growing Digital Threats, ACP Experts Warn

“Turning to AI, Gary Weissman, MD, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, urged physicians to advocate for fairness and transparency. Weissman explained that AI, while powerful, poses distinct regulatory and ethical issues, especially concerning patient equity.

Quoting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of health equity, Weissman stressed, ‘equity is non-negotiable. It’s fundamental to ethical health care.’

Weissman acknowledged AI’s promise — particularly in democratizing technology access and reducing the administrative load on physicians. He referenced innovative AI tools that allow doctors to engage more directly with their patients instead of being burdened by documentation.

However, he also underscored serious concerns about AI, including exacerbating the digital divide, reinforcing existing biases due to flawed training data, and raising challenging questions about accountability. ‘Who is responsible if an AI system makes an error?’ Weissman asked, highlighting the complexity of these unresolved issues.

Weissman emphasized the need for strong local oversight, advocating transparency about how AI systems are developed, rigorous testing in real-world settings, and continuous monitoring of their use in practice. ‘Right now, there’s no regulatory framework in place for generative AI,’ he pointed out. ‘None of the FDA-authorized devices include generative AI systems.’

Read more at Medical Economics.