Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Start your answer by briefly explaining the case.
• Discuss about various stakeholders and ethical issues & dilemmas involved in the case.
• Discuss the course of action that should be taken by senior executive.
• Conclude accordingly.

Introduction

• A large healthcare organization has implemented an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system to assist doctors in diagnosing and treating patients. The system uses machine learning algorithms to analyze patient data, identify patterns and predict outcomes. The goal is to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs. However, the system has come under scrutiny for its potential ethical implications.

Body

• Stakeholder Involved:
  • Healthcare organization,
  • Me as Senior Executive,
  • Patients,
  • Doctors,
  • Regulators
  • Media,
  • Patient groups,
  • Society at large.
• Ethical issues Involved:
  • Responsibility: The healthcare organization has a responsibility to operate in a manner that promotes the welfare of patients and stakeholders.
    • Therefore, they need to be careful and ensure that their system doesn’t exploit personal data of the patient.
  • Accountability: The organization must be accountable for the AI system's decisions and actions.
    • This includes taking responsibility for any errors or biases that may arise from the system's algorithms.
  • Transparency: The organization must be transparent about the AI system's capabilities, limitations, and potential biases.
    • This includes providing clear and accessible information about the data sources and analytical processes used to develop the algorithms.
  • Fairness: The AI system must operate in a fair and unbiased manner. Any biases detected in the system's algorithms must be addressed promptly, and measures should be taken to ensure that the system operates fairly for all patient populations.
  • Privacy and Confidentiality: The healthcare organization must take measures to protect patient data privacy and confidentiality.
    • Patients should be informed of how their data is being used and have the right to control access to their data.
• Course of Action:
  • To address biases in the AI system and ensure that it is transparent and accountable, I would take the following steps:
    • Assess the system for Bias: First of all, I would conduct an assessment of the AI system to understand its design, functionality, and data sources.
      • This will help me identify any potential biases in the system and determine how transparent and accountable it is.
    • Evaluate the data: Secondly, I would evaluate the data used to train the system to ensure that it is diverse and representative of all patient populations.
      • If there are biases in the data, I would work to address them by incorporating more diverse data sources and ensuring that the data is properly labeled.
    • Develop a Governance Framework: Further, I would develop a governance framework for the AI system that outlines how decisions are made, how the system is monitored for biases, and how it can be held accountable for its decisions.
      • This framework would also ensure that patient data is being collected and used in a responsible and ethical manner.
    • Ensure Patient Privacy and Autonomy: I would stick to ethical principles of corporate governance and by developing and implementing policies that ensure that how is patient data is collected and analyzed only with their explicit consent.
      • This will ensure compliance with data protection and privacy laws, such as the Personal Data Protection Bill in India.
    • Regular Monitoring and Evaluation: Further, I would monitor the system's performance by collecting feedback from patients and healthcare providers, evaluating the accuracy of the predictions made by the system, and identifying any potential biases or errors in the system's decision-making process.
    • Engage with stakeholders: Lastly, I would engage with patient groups, protestors, regulators, and other stakeholders to understand their concerns and incorporate their feedback into the development and implementation of the AI system.
      • As this step would help in building confidence among the masses.

Conclusion

By implementing these steps, the senior executive can address the ethical concerns surrounding the AI system and ensure that the healthcare organization is operating in a responsible and ethical manner. Therefore, the organization can also continue to use the AI system to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs while maintaining the trust of patients and the public.