By Art Gross, President and CEO, HIPAA Secure Now!
Twitter: @HIPAASecureNow
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AI in Healthcare
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is increasingly used in healthcare. This can be seen in the form of machine learning which assists in detecting patterns, diseases, learning technologies, and more options to assist with patient care.
Though not a failsafe, it can offset the risk of medical errors and allow for treatment that might not be possible with only human hands.
Challenges
Using AI affects multiple parties when used in the healthcare industry. There are the patients, the medical community, and the developers that create the technology. This presents itself as a potential challenge if all of those parties’ needs are not met. The second, and perhaps obvious challenge is that isn’t easy to demonstrate AI in real-world scenarios. We cannot know what the results will be without speculation on some level. Additionally, there are regulations in place that may prevent AI from being an option. Implementation of the technology and the subsequent administration of patient data that is collected would fall under HIPAA regulation. This must be taken into consideration every time a new solution is tested.
And with any technology, there is the ever-present risk of breach or compromised data. Although AI is providing us with less likelihood of human error, on one hand, there are still humans that will test and administer the technologies. With human error being the easiest entry point for cybercriminals, we must take caution and not assume that a machine will perform the procedure as well as protect the business.
Cyber Challenge
There is a threat that AI can present when it comes to cybersecurity and accessing patient data. While the ability to create avatars or mimic human behavior is interesting and even fun, it allows cybercriminals to fool patients into providing identifying information. Patients can be duped into thinking their medical provider is reaching out or a variety of other scams that will compromise their PHI.
The risk of scams is ever present and the healthcare industry is especially susceptible. Remind your colleagues and patients to take precautions when it comes to providing any information. If they are unsure, call your office directly. And with regard to your healthcare business, we can help you to stay HIPAA compliant and keep cybersecurity at the forefront of your strategy and success.
This article was originally published on HIPAA Secure Now! and is republished here with permission.