Security risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare are a growing concern. HITRUST develops, maintains, and provides healthcare organizations with risk and compliance management frameworks, assessments, and methodologies that safeguard sensitive data and manage information risk.

Staying ahead of the curve is critical to maintaining a proactive stance against security threats. HITRUST collaborates with privacy, information security, and risk management leaders from the private and public health sectors to build a trustworthy foundation for the safe and reliable implementation of AI in the industry.

AI Applications in Healthcare

AI in healthcare refers to the use of AI algorithms, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and machine learning techniques to analyze and interpret medical images and health record data.

Current AI applications in healthcare include

• Disease detection and diagnosis.
• Personalized treatment plans.
• Drug discovery and development.
• Predictive analytics and risk assessments for disease outbreaks.
• Remote monitoring of patients via AI-powered wearable devices and sensors.
• Administrative workflows and automation.
• Appointment scheduling and patient queries.
• Surgical assistance via AI-powered robots.

Challenges of Using AI in Healthcare

AI offers the healthcare industry numerous advantages, however it also comes with challenges and potential drawbacks, including

• Concerns about data privacy and security.
• Bias and fairness issues in training data that may result in unequal treatment, misdiagnosis, or underdiagnosis of certain demographic groups.
• Emerging regulatory challenges and complex frameworks.
• Interoperability issues between existing systems and emerging data platforms.
• Resistance to adoption by health care professionals and the general public.
• High development and implementation costs.
• Ethical concerns arising from AI-generated decisions.
• Potential cybersecurity risks such as data breaches, privacy violations, ransomware, and malware.

While the use of AI has numerous pros and cons for healthcare organizations, it also raises multiple concerns and challenges. Leveraging the advantages of AI applications requires a careful approach that addresses drawbacks while promoting the responsible and ethical use of the technology.

AI-Related Patient and Organizational Risks

AI holds significant promise for improving and optimizing various aspects of healthcare, however concerns arise regarding data collection and privacy issues.

Some common questions by healthcare experts and the general public include

Can AI-powered applications be trusted?

A paramount concern surrounding the adoption of AI applications in healthcare revolves around trustworthiness. For AI adoption to be successful, healthcare organizations and patients must be confident in the accuracy and reliability of AI-driven decisions. Failure to do so may result in erroneous diagnoses or treatment recommendations that potentially compromise patient safety and reduce trust in the overall healthcare system.

Do AI applications comply with current regulations?

The use of AI in healthcare is advancing rapidly and many entities like HITRUST and NIST are working towards answering the call for a comprehensive regulatory framework.

The creation of a framework paired with full compliance by organizations using AI applications is critical. Otherwise, providers may risk legal liabilities, privacy breaches, and regulatory penalties.

Current health data privacy laws safeguard patient data, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. However, these regulations do not cover all risks associated with many functions specific to AI applications.

Is the use of AI ethical?

The debate surrounding the ethical implications of AI in healthcare dominates the regulatory landscape, specifically issues concerning equity, fairness, and consent. Some AI systems are trained using large amounts of data from specific groups. This can result in decisions that may inadvertently reinforce biases, negatively affecting some individuals more than others. To avoid potential issues, AI systems training should be vetted regularly to ensure equitable decisions.

Is the use of AI sustainable?

Sustainability in the context of AI in healthcare encompasses various aspects, including the long-term financial viability of AI applications and their impact on the doctor-patient relationship.

AI implementation is expensive, requiring long-term investments by organizations in new systems and their integration with legacy applications. Healthcare entities must assess the sustainability of these systems to ensure they avoid future financial strain.

With regard to patient care, an over reliance on AI may disrupt the traditional doctor-patient relationship. Decisions made by machines may conflict with the ethical principles of patients and providers, who may lose trust in the healthcare system. Balancing technological advancement with sustainability should be a key consideration for the ethical implications of AI in healthcare future of AI in healthcare.

Best Practices for Ensuring AI System Safety

The security and integrity of AI in healthcare are critical to harnessing its potential benefits while minimizing potential risks.

Some best practices to consider include

Ensure training data is high-quality and free of bias.

Ensure that the data used to train AI models is high-quality and diverse. Regularly audit and update training data to reduce bias and improve the accuracy of predictions.

Choose transparent AI models.

Choose AI models that explain how the system arrives at its decisions to build trust and accountability. Implement version control and maintain records of AI model iterations and updates to allow for traceability and easy rollback if problems arise.

Perform regular testing and validation.

Continuously test AI systems in real-world scenarios to validate their performance and ensure they meet safety standards.

Develop a robust cybersecurity strategy.

Implement strong cybersecurity measures to protect AI systems from hacking, data breaches, cyberattacks, and other security issues. Some essential components of an effective strategy include encryption, access controls, and regular security audits.

Prioritize human oversight in AI systems.

Maintain an adequate level of human oversight in AI systems, especially regarding decision-making processes. Some key ways to implement human management include data supervision, quality assurance, maintaining documentation, and conducting reviews.

Conduct third-party audits regularly.

Consider involving third-party experts to conduct independent audits and assessments of your AI systems to identify vulnerabilities and provide unbiased feedback.

Manage AI-Security Risks with the HITRUST AI Assurance Program

The success of transformative AI-powered applications in healthcare hinges on the ability of organizations to implement systems prioritizing security, data privacy, ethics, and emerging regulations.

The HITRUST AI Assurance Program enables organizations to manage AI-related security risks to continually strengthen their security posture in a constantly evolving AI-powered environment.

Click here to download the strategy document and learn more about the HITRUST’s Path to Trustworthy AI.