Lawmakers raise questions about security of health data shared with AI tools

"It seems as if the future promise of these records would include AI giving clinical support, but how can we take this information, upload it and allow it to be worked with by AI? Who's liable? Who gets to use the data that flows from it that might be for financial gain? What are the privacy issues?"

"HHS issued a request for information in December seeking public input on how AI can be safely and effectively deployed in the healthcare system so that it is aligned with current standards. Feedback solicited through the RFI would play a major role in informing any future regulatory measures."

Senate lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about inadequate federal protections for healthcare data used in artificial intelligence tools. While HIPAA covers medical devices and AI tools in healthcare settings, third-party technologies like wearable devices and downloadable apps operate without equivalent security standards. Senators questioned liability issues, data usage rights, privacy protections, and whether additional regulatory measures are necessary. The Department of Health and Human Services issued a request for information in December to gather public input on safely deploying AI in healthcare systems aligned with current standards. HHS received hundreds of responses to inform future regulatory decisions.

Read at Nextgov.com