It’s hard to go online without stumbling on a piece about AI. It’s everywhere. Whether we like it or not, AI now has an impact on so many different businesses and organizations, it’s almost hard to imagine working without it. Healthcare is no different in this aspect and to be completely frank, AI helps a lot. It’s able to analyze incredible amounts of data in the blink of an eye and come up with solutions that would take us (humans) months or even years to figure out. Pretty perfect, right?
Not so fast. What about privacy? In order to make decisions, AI has to look over a lot of data, and that means information that’s meant to stay totally private. Where doctors work, what their specialty is, even personal details. But what’s the problem, you ask? It’s not like AI will blab them to your local Karen who’ll start blasting it all on TikTok. But the fact is, the information AI uses could end up in the wrong hands and they might use it in ways you don’t want that information to be used.
So, is there a way for AI to help and predict staff shortages without risking sensitive information? Let’s see.
Privacy Risks
AI can be of great help for both physician employment opportunities and for predicting staffing shortages. But think about it. How comfortable are you knowing it has your confidential information?
You might say our lives are already online and even your phone has a bunch of private information. But the truth is, you have control (at least up to a point) over your information if we’re talking about social media, online profiles, etc. When it comes to staff shortages and employment in general, your information is out of your control and being reviewed who knows how many times.
AI having your information is not that big of a deal. So what if it sees it? It has to, if it’s going to make good decisions. What’s problematic is the possibility of that information getting exposed to cyber threats and even exploited for someone else’s commercial gain. There are companies that would love to have the information on your salary, education, career history, licensing details, and such because it’s a goldmine for targeting job offers. There are also those who would use it to make someone hire or not hire you, and the reason for either wouldn’t be transparent, let alone fair.
Even when the information is anonymous, AI algorithms have come so far that they can re-identify you, especially if you’re part of a smaller medical community. There’s a series of ethical questions here, like shouldn’t doctors have control over how their information is being used? And if AI plays a role in deciding who to hire, is there a way to know how that decision is being made?
How to Balance Predictions with Data Privacy
Although there’s no doubt that AI can be a huge asset in predicting shortages of physicians, we have to remember that the priority has to be keeping their data safe. Here’s how to get the best of both worlds.
1. Keep All Data Anonymous
One of the best things to do would be to make all information anonymous before AI can analyze it. This means that all names, addresses, and other information that can be used for identification have to be wiped out.
As previously mentioned, AI is so advanced that even with this, it can still identify you, so there should be an extra step or two here. This could be adding small changes to the data, but not something that would affect someone’s decision to hire you; or not.
2. Use Strong Cybersecurity
If the system that protects the AI is secure, then AI itself is secure, too. Information has to be locked down with strong encryption so, even if someone steals it, they won’t be able to read it.
Secure cloud storage and extra login protections can help keep people who aren’t authorized out. Naturally, regular security checks are key here because they can find weak spots before they become big problems.
3. Follow Laws on Privacy
Even AI has to follow GDPR, HIPAA, and all the rules on how healthcare data can be collected and shared. The reason for this isn’t just to avoid fines. It’s about respecting the doctors’ privacy. Unless AI can comply with these regulations, ethical and legal problems will follow in the future.
Conclusion
The more we use online tools, the greater the risk of all our private information being exposed. With AI, the risk is even bigger. There’s never a guarantee that a data breach won’t happen, but there’s always a guarantee that it will if there are no scrutiny measures in place.
Following laws and taking safety precautions will make sure that private information stays as safe as it’s currently possible.
