Artificial Intelligence has come into everyone’s life in one way or another over the past decade. One of the fastest growing areas using this new technology is the healthcare industry. There have been many advancements over the years and new ways of using it coming out every day. These advancements have even come into light with physicians using data they receive from wearables like smartwatches.
Companies like Microsoft and Apple have entire teams dedicated to healthcare. The teams create software that give customers and physicians the ability to see all types of data, from a person’s heart rate to glucose levels, throughout the day. While these wearables generate a lot of information, physicians are in the precarious position of having to decide if, how, and when to use this data. Sometimes more info is not always better: studies have shown some wearables customers use the devices for the sole purpose of improving their health, and this creates an issue if the physician is not sure how to use the information to benefit the patients.
While wearables will continue to be an exciting field for medical advancement, it can also be a concern for doctors. Most of these wearables are not FDA approved, or worse there are concerns about the confidentiality of patient information (Violations of State and Federal Confidentiality Statutes). Doctors not only have to worry about how to use the information, but they also have to worry about the legal risk of their use.
Over the next few years, it will seem like the wild west when determining how and when to use these new advancements. Physicians will need to make sure they are not being negligent towards their patients’ health and ultimately causing a problem with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. If a problem does arise, Williams & Nickl is here to help you get through that process and back on the right track. Our firm focuses on professional license defense to ensure the Medical Board does not violate your rights, and you have a chance to move on from your issue.