Sanford Health President and CEO Bill Gassen emphasized the importance of striking a careful balance in potential federal AI regulations, saying they should establish essential healthcare AI boundaries without imposing unnecessary restrictions that could impede innovation in critical areas.
On Oct. 30, President Joe Biden issued an executive order requesting the federal government's health agencies devise a strategy for overseeing AI.
Under the order, HHS will be tasked with developing a safety initiative dedicated to gathering information on AI-related practices that are unsafe and pose potential harm. These areas encompass AI applications that aid physicians in assessing patients and identifying illnesses.
They also encompass tools designed to enhance the advancement of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, assess the standard of healthcare, simplify the management of insurance benefits, enhance the patient's overall experience, and prioritize public health requirements, according to Politico.
Mr. Gassen told Becker's that Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford is supportive of the development of frameworks and guidelines that would enable healthcare providers to responsibly and safely use AI-enabled technology.
"We believe that emerging AI technologies have the potential to positively transform the future of care delivery, advance rural health equity and are key to the industry's long-term sustainability," he said. "We look forward to collaborating with industry leaders, elected officials and the Biden administration on these efforts to ensure we can harness these technologies in the best interest of our patients and caregivers."