Australians Seek National Regulations For AI In Health Care

Authorities in Perth have prohibited the use of AI bot technology by doctors due to concerns over patient confidentiality.

According to a report from ABC News, the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) in Perth stated that certain staff members had been using software such as ChatGPT to create medical notes, which were then added to patient record systems.

“Crucially, at this stage, there is no assurance of patient confidentiality when using AI bot technology, such as ChatGPT, nor do we fully understand the security risks,” the email from SMHS chief executive, Paul Forden said.

Read more: AI Regulation In Healthcare: UK And EU Approaches

“For this reason, the use of AI technology, including ChatGPT, for work-related activity that includes any patient or potentially sensitive health service information must cease immediately.”

Following the directive, the service has confirmed that a single doctor utilized the AI tool for creating a patient discharge summary and no unauthorized access to patient confidential information was reported.