HHS Asks the Public: How Can Federal Action Help Accelerate AI Use in Clinical Care? | Sheppard
HHS Asks the Public: How Can Federal Action Help Accelerate AI Use in Clinical Care? | Sheppard
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/hhs-asks-the-public-how-can-federal-4343695/
Publish Date: 2026-03-09 16:09:00
Source Domain: www.jdsupra.com
- In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology published an RFI focused on accelerating AI adoption in clinical settings.
- The RFI aligns with the White House AI Action Plan and seeks feedback to inform a forward-leaning, supportive, and secure approach to integrating AI in clinical care.
- Public comments were sought until February 23, 2026, resulting in nearly 500 submissions.
- HHS and ASTP/ONC emphasize the need for experience-based feedback from AI tool developers, providers, and businesses utilizing AI, as well as those facing adoption barriers.
- The RFI targets three core approaches: regulation, reimbursement, and research & development, aiming to support the appropriate adoption and deployment of AI in clinical care.
- Within regulation, the RFI seeks input on regulatory adjustments needed for smoother AI integration in clinical settings.
- Under reimbursement, the RFI addresses payment policy changes to incentivize the access and affordability of AI tools.
- For research & development, HHS is looking for suggestions on investments in R&D to create new market opportunities and improve health outcomes.
- The RFI also explores legal and implementation issues related to liability, privacy, security, and evaluation metrics for AI deployment.
- Public submissions highlight barriers to adoption, including data and interoperability limitations, and organizational capacity constraints.
- Commentators emphasized the importance of aligning regulation, reimbursement, and R&D with the realities of AI deployment, urging clear federal guidance for accountability and ongoing monitoring.
- Key recommendations often include clearer federal guidance, aligned payment models that reflect AI’s value, and enhanced evaluation and trust infrastructure for patient and clinician concerns regarding privacy and security.
- The takeaway suggests HHS will likely focus on clarifying AI deployment standards, enhancing data access and interoperability, and better aligning payment policies to facilitate confident AI adoption by healthcare providers while improving outcomes.
