Using artificial intelligence to assist with veteran healthcare

The VA is already utilizing artificial intelligence to assist with veteran healthcare to include predicting cancer risks, predicting veteran suicide risk, as well as helping with diagnostic accuracy. A House Committee on Veterans Affairs subcommittee queried representatives of the VA on how artificial intelligence could be better employed with veterans’ healthcare service.

From Military Times:

“VA is committed to protecting veterans’ data, while responsibly harnessing the promise of AI to better serve veterans,” said Charles Worthington, the chief technology officer and chief artificial intelligence officer in VA’s Office of Information and Technology.

VA is already leveraging AI in a number of ways, from enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in predicting cancer risks to an initiative to identify veterans with the highest level of suicide risk.

While the department believes in AI’s enormous potential to provide better health care, quicker benefits decisions and more secure systems, a few lawmakers questioned the best practices that officials are using or plan to take on when employing the technology.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who last month led a separate subcommittee hearing on data privacy and artificial intelligence at VA, asked about the department’s responsibility to notify and receive informed consent from veterans when their information is used with an “AI model,” or when an analysis was completed by AI rather than a person.

The Military Times has additional information here.

Category: Veteran Health Care, Veterans Issues