AHA urges smarter AI regulation for advancing innovation, safety and access to health care – American Hospital Association

Report on AI Regulation in Healthcare and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has submitted formal recommendations to the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) concerning regulatory reform for artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector. The submission advocates for a balanced approach that reduces regulatory burdens to foster innovation while upholding patient safety and data privacy. This initiative directly supports the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), by seeking to create a policy environment conducive to equitable and efficient healthcare delivery.

Key Recommendations for Sustainable and Equitable AI Integration

The AHA outlined four key recommendations to guide the development of a flexible and effective regulatory framework for AI in healthcare.

1. Policy Synchronization and Coherence

   The report calls for synchronizing new AI policies with existing regulatory frameworks to prevent redundancy and administrative burden. This approach promotes streamlined and effective governance.

   • This aligns with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by advocating for the development of effective, accountable, and transparent institutions and regulatory systems.
2. Removal of Regulatory Barriers to Innovation

   The AHA identifies fragmented privacy laws and outdated substance use disorder regulations as significant barriers. Removing these obstacles is critical to unlocking AI’s potential for improving care.

   • This recommendation directly supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by fostering an environment that encourages innovation and the adoption of new technologies.
   • By accelerating the deployment of beneficial technologies, this also contributes to SDG 3 by improving health outcomes and system efficiency.
3. Ensuring Safe and Effective AI Implementation

   To guarantee patient safety, the AHA emphasizes the necessity of clinician involvement in AI-driven decision loops that impact care. It also calls for consistent safety and efficacy standards for third-party AI vendors.

   • This focus on patient safety and quality of care is central to achieving the targets of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), ensuring that technological advancements lead to better and safer health services for all.
4. Addressing Organizational and Infrastructural Challenges

   The report highlights the need to align financial incentives and invest in foundational infrastructure, including digital access and literacy for both providers and patients.

   • This supports SDG 9 by calling for investment in resilient and accessible digital infrastructure.
   • It also advances SDG 3 by promoting equitable access to digital health tools, thereby reducing inequalities in healthcare delivery and improving overall community well-being.

Conclusion and Path Forward

The AHA encourages the OSTP to adopt balanced and flexible policies that support responsible innovation. Such a framework is essential for leveraging AI to improve care delivery across the entire health system. This collaborative engagement between healthcare stakeholders and government bodies exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), demonstrating a united effort to harness technology for the public good and advance the global sustainable development agenda.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article’s central theme is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the healthcare system. It discusses enhancing care delivery, ensuring patient safety, and making healthcare more effective, which are all core components of SDG 3.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article focuses heavily on fostering innovation in AI by reducing regulatory burdens. It also highlights the need for infrastructural improvements, such as investing in “digital access and literacy,” which is essential for the widespread and equitable use of new technologies like AI.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The call for regulatory reform, synchronizing AI policies, and addressing fragmented privacy laws relates to building effective, accountable, and transparent institutions. The AHA’s letter to a government body (Office of Science and Technology Policy) is an example of stakeholder engagement in policy-making to create balanced and flexible governance frameworks.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services…

   The article’s goal to “improve care delivery across the health system” through AI innovation directly supports the aim of providing access to quality essential healthcare services. Ensuring “patient safety” and “effective AI use” are critical for maintaining and enhancing the quality of care.

2. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation…

   The AHA’s primary recommendation is to “reduce regulatory burdens that hinder innovation and increase costs.” This directly aligns with the goal of encouraging innovation and upgrading technological capabilities within the healthcare sector by creating a more favorable environment for AI development and deployment.

3. Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet…

   The recommendation to address “infrastructural challenges by … investing in digital access and literacy” is a direct link to this target. For AI to be effective and equitable in healthcare, both patients and clinicians need reliable access to digital infrastructure and the skills to use it.

4. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

   The proposal to “synchronize AI policies with existing frameworks to avoid redundancy” and create “balanced, flexible policies” is a call for more effective and coherent governance. This aims to build a transparent and accountable institutional framework for AI in healthcare, preventing conflicting or burdensome regulations.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicator for Target 3.8: Measures of patient safety and care effectiveness.

   The article emphasizes the need to ensure “patient safety” and “effective AI use through clinician involvement.” This implies that progress could be measured by tracking metrics related to the safety and efficacy of AI tools in clinical settings, such as reductions in medical errors or improvements in patient outcomes where AI is deployed.

2. Implied Indicator for Target 9.5: Level of investment and adoption of AI technologies in healthcare.

   By advocating for policies that “support innovation,” the article implies that a key measure of success would be an increase in the development and adoption of AI solutions within the health system. This could be tracked through investment figures or surveys on AI implementation in hospitals.

3. Implied Indicator for Target 9.c: Rates of digital access and literacy among patients and healthcare providers.

   The call to invest in “digital access and literacy” suggests that progress can be measured by tracking the percentage of the population and healthcare workforce with sufficient digital access and skills to engage with AI-driven health technologies.

4. Implied Indicator for Target 16.6: Coherence and consistency of regulatory policies for AI in healthcare.

   The recommendation to “synchronize AI policies” and remove “fragmented privacy laws” implies that a measure of progress would be the development of a unified, non-redundant regulatory framework. This could be assessed by analyzing the alignment of local, state, and federal policies governing AI in the health sector.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: aha.org