Artificial intelligence in healthcare

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in healthcare, with some tools designed for clinical settings and others being general-purpose. While AI technology presents a number of benefits and efficiencies to health practitioners, certain considerations should be taken when applying AI tools in the provision of patient care.

Regulation of AI in healthcare

Some AI tools in healthcare are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). The TGA oversees therapeutic goods that meet the definition of a medical device, including software with a therapeutic purpose.

General-purpose tools, such as AI scribing, do not qualify as medical devices and are therefore not regulated by the TGA.

AI use in healthcare

AHPRA and the National Boards support the safe use of AI in healthcare to drive innovation and improve outcomes. Practitioners must ensure AI is used responsibly, and consider the practical and ethical implications of incorporating the technology.

Meeting your obligations when using AI tools

Practitioners must understand the risks of using AI tools in patient care, or apps (such as chatbots) that simulate care conversations. When using these technologies, they should:

• check with the vendor or the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods to confirm if the AI tool is registered
• remain responsible for safe, quality care and apply human judgement to AI outputs to check for accuracy
• explain the tool’s limitations and inform patients that in using the tool, they are not consulting a registered practitioner
• maintain confidentiality and ensure patient data is securely used, stored, and recorded
• when using AI health scribing tools, explain how the tools are used and obtain informed patient consent.

Key takeaways

If you are employing AI tools in your delivery of patient care:

• review TGA regulations before using any AI tool
• ensure safe, high-quality care by applying human judgement to all AI outputs
• inform your patients about the use of AI and its limitations
• obtain your patient's consent before using any AI tool
• safeguard your patients' privacy by understanding how their data is used, stored, and recorded.