Media release: AI Royal Commission must scrutinise healthcare technology

AMA SA President Associate Professor Peter Subramaniam says tech companies should be compelled to show evidence that their products meet the standards doctors and patients expect.

‘Artificial intelligence is already reshaping healthcare, but we’re yet to see publicly available evidence demonstrating that these tools deliver meaningful benefits across the patient journey and meet patients’ expectations when it comes to issues like privacy, consent and data security,’ A/Prof Subramaniam says.

‘The Royal Commission offers a rare opportunity to lift the veil on this rapidly evolving technology. 

‘Patients and clinicians deserve confidence that AI systems are not only safe and effective, but that they’re developed responsibly.’

A/Prof Subramaniam says doctors are already subject to clear professional obligations when using AI, and companies developing the technology should face close scrutiny too.

‘Guardrails already exist for doctors. The medical regulator Ahpra is clear that practitioners remain fully accountable for clinical outcomes, patient safety and record accuracy regardless of AI assistance. This position is strongly supported by the AMA.

‘The challenge is not a lack of accountability for clinicians. The challenge is a lack of transparency around the systems increasingly being used across healthcare.

‘We ask that the Royal Commission compels those building and operating AI technologies to produce the evidence, data and protocols underpinning their systems so that doctors, patients and policymakers can properly assess their benefits and risks.’

A/Prof Subramaniam says it’s essential the Royal Commission places patients at the centre of its inquiry into the use of AI in healthcare.

‘Too often the conversation about AI focuses on economic growth, productivity and workforce impacts, but in healthcare the most important question is whether patients are better off as a result,’ A/Prof Subramaniam says.

‘AI has the capacity to detect deterioration earlier, make discharge safer, avoid complications and reduce waiting times, but those potential benefits must be measured against equally important considerations such as privacy, consent, the security of sensitive information and, above all else, patient safety.

‘The Royal Commission has the capacity to examine these issues from all perspectives, and it is essential that it includes the voices of both clinicians and consumers.’

A/Prof Subramaniam says AMA SA stands ready to assist the Royal Commission in any way it can.

‘AMA SA welcomes the Royal Commission into AI and commends the Premier’s leadership in initiating this important inquiry,’ he says.

‘Artificial intelligence is already reshaping healthcare and South Australia should be prepared both for the opportunities and the challenges that come with it.

‘We have told the Premier we would welcome the opportunity to assist in developing the Commission’s terms of reference and to provide evidence to the inquiry in due course.’

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