House Subcommittee on health explores AI use in medical devices

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Nov. 29 held a hearing to explore how medical devices and hospitals are using artificial intelligence and what Congress should consider as AI in healthcare evolves.

“At HCA Healthcare, our commitment to integrating AI into healthcare is driven by a vision to enhance patient care and operational efficiency and effectiveness,” witness Michael Schlosser, M.D., senior vice president of care transformation and innovation for HCA Healthcare, told the subcommittee. “Our initial use cases are largely focused on removing administrative burden from clinicians, providers, and leaders so we can return precious time to them, allowing them to focus on patients, critical decision making, and other high-risk activities like transitions of care.”

Christopher Longhurst, M.D., chief medical and digital officer for UC San Diego Health, told the panel, “With thoughtful implementation and careful oversight to ensure equity, transparency and effectiveness, AI can be transformative for healthcare delivery, improving quality and patient safety, and reducing administrative burdens.”

David Newman-Toker, M.D., director of the Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said AI “has the potential to transform health care for the better by improving health outcomes, increasing access to and efficiency of care delivery, reducing health disparities, and decreasing clinician workforce burnout. … The guiding principle for policy changes should be public health impact, including an emphasis on the equitable distribution of benefits and risks across the population.”

Also testifying at the hearing were representatives from Transcarent and Siemens Healthineers. American Hospital Association