Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance efficiencies in providing healthcare in many ways, one of which is by utilizing algorithms to read medical records and thereby assist providers in better understanding their patients and treatments that may be available. Increasingly, electronic medical review (EMR) software companies are utilizing AI to boost their products, offering hospitals, healthcare facilities, and physicians powerful tools that can enhance their decision-making as to operations and treatment. Recently, it was reported that DOJ has subpoenaed the records of digital health companies and pharmaceutical companies in investigating whether AI may be used to steer treatment decisions, resulting in medically unnecessary anti-kickback and false claims violations. Given the speed at which AI creates information and then expands upon it with compounding effect, determining whether AI is the subject of and resulting in fraud may not be straightforward. However, AI related healthcare fraud and abuse actions are clearly on DOJ's radar and will likely become increasingly common. Hospitals, healthcare facilities, and physicians should be aware of the possibility that ERM systems could be the subject of AI fraud, and be careful not to turn a blind eye where it curiously seems to be generating results disproportionately in favor of one treatment or drug over or another.
Disclaimer: This Alert has been prepared and published for informational purposes only and is not offered, nor should be construed, as legal advice. For more information, please see the firm's full disclaimer.
