We’re not feeling it. Everyone seems to be in the mood to have an “and so” moment about 2023 or predict what will happen in 2024. We do not share the feeling. Too many things are up in the air or just getting started. Why say something definitive when the only certain thing is uncertainty? Color us intellectually honest: we are left with no choice but to describe the tumultuous sea that lies ahead. Many thanks to George Clooney for giving us an inspirational film about how we can all row the boat together to tackle the adversity we face in this sea of uncertainty. More about the boat we are rowing in our One Thoughtful Paragraph below.
News from this week that could mean great things, but we are not sure where these boats are headed yet:
- HHS announced a five-year data strategy based on the recommendations of a task force of data experts convened in 2022. There are five focus areas: cultivating data talent, fostering data sharing, integrating administrative data into program operations, enabling whole-person care delivery by connecting human services data, and responsibly leveraging artificial intelligence. The strategy identifies two “anchor use cases” — President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot and Preparedness and Incident Response.
- Over two dozen healthcare industry players – including Curai Health, Geisinger, Mass General Brigham, and CVS – signed an AI safety pledge at the White House, promising to align AI deployment with the FAVES principles (Fair, Appropriate, Valid, Effective, Safe).
- The FDA issued updated draft guidance about how the agency evaluates real-world data in its regulatory decision-making for medical devices.
Things are pretty heavy right now. Everyone has trials and tribulations – and they are not prone to generalization this year. Speaking of trials, one way to gauge how things are going is when problems and disagreements turn into lawsuits. There is no shortage of litigation, even in the health information technology space. Doctors and their patients are suing for the right to use virtual technology in New Jersey. The American Hospital Association sued the federal government over the new rule restricting third-party technology use, claiming that the HHS Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) stance upsets the balance between information sharing and privacy facilitated by HIPAA. Legal battles against UnitedHealthcare and Humana may decide whether the use of algorithms to make health insurance coverage decisions is okay or not. The American Medical Association is anticipating a legal battle (or many) over who should be liable when artificial intelligence tools in healthcare cause patients harm. This fighting about everything is about as uncomfortable as watching Zac Efron in a professional wrestling movie. Luckily, you can keep up with all of these fights with our gift to you: a MyMaverick subscription. Sign up here. Best wishes for a restful holiday season in the meantime.
