Last week, Professor Enrico Coiera delivered the opening keynote address at the AI.Care conference in Melbourne, one year on from launching the National Policy Roadmap for AI in Healthcare at the same conference. In his address, Professor Coiera highlighted the aims of the Roadmap, and specific progress that has been made towards meeting those aims in the past year. He also highlighted AAAiH hopes for AI in healthcare in 2025.
There has been good progress in meeting recommendations about ensuring AI safety and quality, and in supporting and developing the clinical workforce to become effective users of AI. Major milestones included:
- AHPRA’s release of an updated common code of conduct, embedding safe and effective use of AI into its code;
- The release of practice advisories on AI (and scribes in particular) by multiple professional colleges;
- An evidence-based guide to AI implementation in hospitals released by the Commission for safety and quality in Healthcare;
- The adoption of a whole of government approach federally to address the emerging opportunities and challenges brought by AI.
In contrast there had been little progress in meeting recommendations to support consumers in understanding and utilising AI, little targeted support for the healthcare AI industry in a fast-moving sector dominated by large international players, and in stark contrast to other developed economies, no specific support for AI research through MRFF and NHMRC – which the Alliance believes is critical to develop sovereign capabilities and develop local industry.
Over the next 12 months, Professor Coiera suggested that the focus would begin to shift towards supporting AI implementation and governance, and that climate impacts of AI would become a growing concern needing attention. He also noted that the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care had received only minimal funding for its AI agenda in the last budget, and hope that a substantial increase would be forthcoming in the next.
Given that AI (and especially generative AI) continues to evolve faster than regulatory responses, community momentum in meeting the Roadmap recommendations needs to be sustained and in fact increase over 2025.
Read Professor Coiera’s presentation here.