Stakeholder perceptions of the safety and assurance of artificial intelligence in healthcare (9 July 2022)

Summary

An increasing number of healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) applications are in development or already in use, but the safety impact of using AI in healthcare is largely unknown. This qualitative study in the journal Safety Science aimed to explore how different stakeholders (patients, hospital staff, technology developers and regulators) think about safety and the safety assurance of healthcare AI.

Through a series of interviews, the authors assessed stakeholder perceptions of an AI-based infusion pump in the intensive care unit. Participants expressed perceptions about:

• the potential impact of healthcare AI
• requirements for human-AI interaction
• safety assurance practices and regulatory frameworks for AI and the gaps that exist
• how incidents involving AI should be managed.

The authors concluded that there is currently a technology-centric focus on AI safety, and a wider systems approach is needed. They also identified a need for greater awareness of existing standards and best practice among technology developers.