Patients call for transparency around the use of AI in healthcare

The Patients Association has called for more transparency around the use of AI in healthcare, as it emerged that patients believe they are often not informed about its use. 

In its response to a call for evidence from the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the use of AI in healthcare, the charity said that patients want to see more transparency, stricter regulation and assurances in the privacy of their personal data.

It recommends the creation of a public list of approved AI tools explaining what each one does, what it’s been tested for, and what its limitations are.

A survey by The Patients Association, which received 243 responses, found that 71% said it was very important that patients are told when AI is used in their care.

Despite almost half of respondents (49%) believing AI had been used in their care, only 10% reported being clearly informed about this, while 39% said they were not informed at all.

Rachel Power, chief executive of The Patients Association told Digital Health News: “This highlights a significant communication and transparency gap that risks undermining patient confidence, particularly as the use of AI becomes more widespread across health and care services.

“Patients should be given reassurance that AI tools are safe, that clear and accessible information will be provided, and that there is accountability when things go wrong.

“Telling patients when AI is being used is a simple but vital step towards building trust, empowering patients, and ensuring that innovation in healthcare happens with, not to, the people it is meant to serve.”

In survey responses, patients repeatedly emphasised that AI should support human judgement rather than replace it.

“While they acknowledged that AI could speed up aspects of their care, such as faster access to diagnoses and improved features of the NHS App, they still highly value the role of healthcare professionals,” The Patients Association said.

Safety concerns

Patients also shared concerns that monitoring in healthcare settings is currently weak and not all mistakes are caught, with 89% of respondents believing that safety should be the top priority in changes to AI regulations.

Many felt that with the rapidly evolving AI landscape, there is a risk of prioritising efficiency over patient safety, with only 6% believing that speed of access should be given precedence.

They also highlighted that responsibility for AI should be clearly defined, with 43% thinking that accountability should be prioritised in regulation.

In its consultation response, The Patients Association said: “Before any AI tool is approved, make it clear who is accountable if something goes wrong. Patients need to know they have someone to turn to.”

Concerns were also shared about data breaches and unclear handling of AI-generated patient data, with 23% of survey respondents saying that the MHRA should prioritise this in regulatory updates.

Meanwhile, the Royal College of Radiologists, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, and the Society of Radiographers have released a joint statement calling for clinicians to be at the forefront of AI adoption in healthcare.

Rachel Power will be keynote speaker at Digital Health Rewired, 24-25 March, The NEC, Birmingham. Register here