Healthcare Leaders Applaud Groundbreaking Bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Policy Roadmap
WASHINGTON, DC, May 15, 2024 – The Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), the leading health industry association representing all disciplines of American healthcare, today applauded the Bipartisan Senate Artificial Intelligence Working Group, comprised of Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Senator Todd Young (R-IN), for releasing their bipartisan roadmap for driving U.S. innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). The roadmap highlights policy topics the group believes merit bipartisan committee consideration in the 118th Congress and beyond.
“This bipartisan roadmap is a groundbreaking step in these times of inaction and polarization,” said Maria Ghazal, President and CEO of HLC. “Within the healthcare sector alone, AI has already proven to be an invaluable tool, but we must tread cautiously. There are many lessons to be shared with Congress to inform this historic effort, and HLC looks forward to serving as a resource during the process.”
Across healthcare providers, payers, innovators, and analytics, AI is becoming a critical tool to ameliorate persistent challenges and barriers to access, while reinforcing the human elements of both research and care. It is vital for Congress to assess the impact and consider necessary guardrails for responsible use, as necessary with transformative technologies. Recognizing this, the roadmap appropriately cites transparency and privacy issues that will require a federal solution, while also acknowledging the opportunity for AI to improve patient outcomes.
“It is imperative that stakeholders collaboratively balance the protection of individual liberties and the development of this evolving innovation,” continued Ghazal. “In order for the benefits of AI to be realized in healthcare—whether that be in advancing innovation, easing administrative burdens, or augmenting decision making—a single standard must prevent the unworkable state-by-state patchwork that is rapidly developing.”
Earlier this month, HLC sent a letter to Representative Bera outlining the potential of AI to revolutionize patient care, improve outcomes, and reduce costs while emphasizing the importance of patient safety, privacy, and equity. The letter, which included innovative examples of healthcare companies utilizing AI to serve patients, conveyed support for a risk-based regulatory framework developed at the federal level to preempt conflicting state laws, facilitating compliance and innovation in AI applications in healthcare.
HLC is closely reviewing the new bipartisan roadmap and is eager to provide real-world evidence as Congress looks for specific health policy solutions to address transparency, equity, and effective use of AI.
