The ethical and legal challenges surrounding the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare were the focal point of a recent webinar organized by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q). The event, called Automated Healthcare: ChatGPT, Bing, Bard & the Law of Generative AI, featured expert speakers who delved into the available AI tools in healthcare, the associated risks, and the limitations of regulatory frameworks governing their usage.
Generative AI systems have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by offering various applications such as clinical decision support, medical recordkeeping, patient triage, and even drug discovery. However, the webinar highlighted the need to consider the legal and ethical implications associated with these technologies. One key concern raised during the session was the potential impact on the doctor-patient relationship, as generative AI systems could alter the way virtual assistants interact with patients. Moreover, the absence of a comprehensive legislative framework governing the use of generative AI in healthcare was also addressed.
Dr. Barry Solaiman, Assistant Professor of Law at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medical Ethics at WCM-Q, highlighted the importance of establishing guidelines during the development stage of generative AI systems to avoid biases in the training data. This issue is particularly relevant as some hospitals are already considering or developing generative AI systems. The pressing questions arise as to who owns the information generated by AI systems like CHATGPT, and who will be held responsible if something goes wrong due to reliance on AI-generated information.
During the webinar, Dr. Faisal Farooq, Director of Artificial Intelligence at LinkedIn, examined the uses and risks associated with generative AI. He emphasized the potential pitfalls, such as privacy concerns, lack of interpretability, biases, and the over-reliance on AI-generated information. Dr. Jessica Roberts, Leonard H. Childs Chair in Law and Director of the Health Law & Policy Institute at the University of Houston, discussed the issue of biased data in healthcare and its impact on health disparity populations. She also examined the legal protections related to data biases in healthcare, highlighting their limitations.
Despite the transformative potential of generative AI in medicine, the experts agreed that it can never replace the role of a physician or a healthcare practitioner. The purpose of the webinar was to educate healthcare professionals on the available generative AI applications and the unintended consequences that may arise from their use.
The event was accredited by the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Qatar, as well as internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
Overall, the webinar provided valuable insights into the promising yet complex landscape of generative AI in healthcare. By addressing the legal and ethical concerns associated with these technologies, healthcare professionals can make informed decisions regarding their usage, ensuring the responsible and ethical implementation of generative AI in medical practice.
