QUESTION:
It feels like every person in our hospital is using AI at this point, whether it be ambient AI tools, clinical decision support systems, or even sending their AI agents to attend Teams meetings on their behalf. What should hospitals be doing to tame this wild west?
ANSWER FROM HORTYSPRINGER ATTORNEY IAN DONALDSON:
Used thoughtfully, AI can help hospitals improve patient care, reduce administrative burdens, strengthen clinical and operational decision-making, and allow physicians, nurses, and staff to spend more time on work that requires human judgment. Ambient documentation tools may ease clinicians’ documentation workload; clinical decision support tools may help identify relevant information and potential risks; and other applications may streamline scheduling, communications, and other routine administrative tasks.
But these benefits do not eliminate the need for guardrails or independent judgment. AI tools can affect everything from patient care to credentialing and peer review. Hospitals therefore should establish a centralized process for reviewing and approving AI tools before they are adopted or used. That process should assess, as appropriate, the tool’s accuracy, reliability, and data practices and security, as well as other legal and regulatory risks. It should also help the hospital establish clear expectations for appropriate use, monitor performance, and periodically reevaluate approved tools.
If you haven’t already, your hospital should consider creating an AI steering committee or similar body. The group should include representatives from information technology, privacy, compliance, legal, and risk management, among others. Because many AI tools influence clinical workflows and professional judgment, meaningful physician and other clinical input is also essential.
At the end of the day, the goal of such steps is not to discourage innovation, but to ensure that AI is used responsibly and in a manner consistent with the hospital’s patient-safety obligations.
If you have a quick question about this, e-mail us at info@hortyspringer.com.