The Pennsylvania House has passed a bill that would require hospitals, clinicians and payers to disclose how they use AI and would keep humans responsible for final patient care decisions.
The bill passed 144-59, with 41 Republicans joining all Democrats in support, The Center Square reported.
Under the legislation, payers, hospitals and clinicians would have to tell patients and the public how AI is used in their organizations or practice settings. When AI is used, a human decision-maker would have to make the final decision on a patient’s care based on an individualized assessment.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities would also have to attest to the Pennsylvania Department of Health that their required internal AI governance and AI use comply with existing privacy, safety and antidiscrimination laws. Insurers would make similar attestations to the state Insurance Department or Department of Human Services.
The bill has five coprime sponsors: state Reps. Arvind Venkat, MD, D-Allegheny; Joe Hogan, R-Bucks; Tarik Khan, PhD, CRNP, D-Philadelphia; Bridget Kosierowski, D-Lackawanna; and Greg Scott, D-Montgomery.
“It is vital that patients are confident that AI is being used responsibly and effectively in their care,” said Dr. Venkat, who described himself as the General Assembly’s only physician, in a Sept. 30 news release.
“I recognize that [AI] can be a valuable tool in medicine, but we must ensure that all final decisions are made by a human doctor,” Mr. Hogan said in the release.
Ms. Kosierowski, who said she has been a nurse for 30 years, stated that the bill would ensure “experienced healthcare providers oversee AI assessments and make the final decisions concerning a patient’s health or healthcare coverage.”
House Bill 1925 now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.
