Photo: skynesher/Getty Images
The adoption of artificial intelligence in clinical care could transform the U.S. healthcare system, improving patient outcomes and provider experiences and reducing costs for patients and the government, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
To complement its AI strategy aimed at not only embedding AI across operations but also accelerating AI adoption across the healthcare system, HHS released a request for information.
WHY IT MATTERS
In the RFI, the department is asking for stakeholder advice on how to issue and structure digital health and AI software change rules to keep patients safe, structure reimbursements to support provider use of cost-reducing AI technologies and increase interoperability of protected data to keep the system running smoothly.
HHS also said it wants ideas on how investments in research and development can strengthen AI implementation, machine learning best practices, and use in complex and high-acuity clinical scenarios.
Responses, which are due Jan. 19, 2026, "will inform the critical, coordinated activities that will drive enabling change across all HHS divisions," the department said in its announcement on Friday.
"Artificial intelligence will be a transformative force for good across America," said Jim O’Neill, HHS Deputy Secretary, in the statement. "We want to hear from you. Our efforts to accelerate AI adoption must be guided by the real needs and experiences of those developing these tools and delivering care."
HHS is also looking for feedback on how patient data interoperability rules and systems factor into the effort. Pivotal to the success of AI to "Make America Healthy Again" and reduce the overall costs of the healthcare system is ensuring that HIPAA-protected patient data moves safely and securely between systems.
"Data liquidity and the trust patients and providers have in how data moves are essential," explained Dr. Thomas Keane, Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and National Coordinator for Health IT, in a statement.
In addition to data, HHS said it is encouraging future-looking responses that focus on medium- and long-term needs the healthcare system will face, such as preparing for the increasing incidence of certain conditions, such as dementia.
THE LARGER TREND
Earlier this year, HHS issued an Artificial Intelligence Strategic Plan to coordinate a public-private approach for the responsible use of AI to improve health outcomes.
The plan focused on four key goals: to stoke health AI innovation, promote trustworthy AI development, democratize AI technologies and cultivate AI-skilled workforces.
Meanwhile, HHS released an AI plan for its agencies and divisions to integrate AI across internal operations, research and public health.
The department is also investing in a new AI platform agencies will use to improve data quality and governance by unifying large, complex IT systems and automating complex administrative workflows, according to a separate announcement from C3 AI, an agentic platform vendor.
"HHS is taking a major step toward a modern, AI-ready architecture for national health data," said Stephen Ehikian, C3 AI's CEO, in a statement earlier this month.
ON THE RECORD
"Through our interoperability work, we are designing for both, bringing true data access to patients and enabling AI," said Keane in the HHS announcement. "We look forward to hearing how these tools can best strengthen care."
Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
