Prof. Robert Stewart Ph.D. is urging greater transparency about AI-assisted medical documentation, informed consent, and patient privacy. Stewart’s concerns stem from his experience with the Abridge AI medical documentation platform, which was used during his appointments with a physician without his knowledge or consent.

Patient Privacy Concerns

Stewart hopes to inform the general public that all doctors must ask for a patient’s permission before using any AI tool during appointments, as these tools make audio recordings of the entire office encounter. This practice raises concerns about the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), which prohibits the audio recording of citizens in private settings without two-party consent.

According to the American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics, patients have the right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments, including the use of artificial intelligence technologies. Informed consent is essential in the patient-physician relationship, and transparency is critical in fostering trust and supporting shared decision-making.

Stewart’s primary concern is for the sake of children whose parents may not be aware of the audio recordings in their doctors’ offices. He emphasizes that patients must be informed when artificial intelligence technologies are used during medical appointments and how their personal health information will be processed, stored, or shared with third-party technology providers.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.