Jane Edwards
Tim Boltz, health care solutions executive at Carahsoft, said leaders in the health care sector that plan to field artificial intelligence tools to transform operations should first address cybersecurity and equity concerns before deployment.
In a guest article published Thursday on Healthcare IT Today, Boltz wrote that the health care industry should reform its cybersecurity posture to protect patient safety, privacy and data from threat actors.
He cited the role of the federal government in driving the development of standards to protect networks and facilitate the deployment of new technologies.
“In addition to helping providers find the funds to secure this critical sector, agencies should also lead efforts to create more cybersecurity standards and playbooks for responding to incidents. The Department of Health and Human Services’ release of a risk management framework is a good start,” Boltz added.
The Carahsoft executive stated that health care organizations should make equity a top consideration in policy and project development as they advance the deployment of AI tools and cited some examples of how AI could help mitigate inequities, such as developing personalized treatment options and predicting illnesses from images.
Boltz also discussed how AI could enable medical providers and frontline staff to shift their focus from administrative tasks and paperwork to patient care delivery.
“AI can also help overcome staffing challenges, bolstering recruitment and retention efforts with tools that screen job descriptions to remove biased language or enhance training programs. In back offices, AI could help refine grant proposals, detect fraud, and accelerate reimbursements,” he added.
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