Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Hearing on the Meaningful Impacts of AI Applications in Our American Health Care System
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, delivered the following opening statement at today’s hearing titled Examining Opportunities to Advance American Health Care through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies. Chairman Griffith’s opening statement as prepared for delivery: “Today’s hearing gives us the opportunity to continue the Energy and Commerce Committee’s leadership on artificial intelligence by examining current applications of AI across the health care sector. “Last Congress, this subcommittee held a similar hearing on AI and machine learning. “It is critical that we continue these types of educational hearings to understand the evolving health AI landscape and ensure that Congress keeps up with the many advancements in the space. “Applications of AI and machine learning have increased across the health care sector in recent years and will only play a more pronounced role in the daily lives of all Americans moving forward. “In the health care space today, AI is being deployed by innovators to empower patients along their personal health care journey, support health care providers, and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens. I look forward to learning more about these real-world applications from our panel of experts today. “I also believe as AI applications advance, it is critical that Congress continues to examine this landscape to ensure proper safety and oversight. These AI applications can be hugely beneficial to patients and providers, but they are to assist – and not replace – the clinical workforce today. “I want to briefly highlight a few examples of how AI is being used to improve patient experiences and outcomes in the market today. “Pharmaceutical companies are using AI to help improve core scientific research functions and develop lifesaving treatments and cures, as well as using AI to expedite clinical trials to bring safe and effective medicines to market quicker. “Insurance companies are using AI to process claims in order to get care to patients quicker. “Physicians and hospitals who have been dealing with documentation burdens are using AI to assist in writing up and consolidating post-visit records, which has helped reduce documentation time by roughly one-third in some cases and allowed for doctors to spend more time with their patients. “Companies who develop medical devices are using machine learning to better understand certain diseases and help advance innovations to deliver more clinically appropriate and effective care interventions. “The Trump Administration has also been forward leaning on advancing AI in the health space and streamlining regulations to increase its application. “I applaud the work of the current administration to incorporate AI in a responsible manner that can help improve care. “To date, the CMS Innovation Center is working to utilize AI and machine learning to identify waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health care systems to root out improper taxpayer spending. “The FDA has incorporated the use of AI to drastically shorten the time needed to complete certain tasks in their review process. “Researchers at NIH have developed an AI algorithm that modernizes the process of matching potential clinical trial volunteers to suitable trials, cutting down administrative time by 40 percent while maintaining the same level of placement accuracy. “These are only a few examples of the many ways the administration is integrating AI and streamlining the way our American health care system operates. “With all these innovative advancements being leveraged across the American health care ecosystem, it is paramount that we ensure proper oversight is being applied, because the application of AI and machine learning will only increase. “We must ensure that these tools continue to empower – and not replace – the providers that serve our communities across the nation. “These tools should help improve the patient experience and ultimately access to care – particularly in rural areas like the communities I represent in Virginia’s ninth district. “I hope we have a constructive conversation today about the opportunities and the risks that comes with AI and how our Committee should be thinking about the role we can play in helping shape the future of AI in health care. “I am looking forward to hearing more from our witnesses and the members on this subcommittee on the application of AI in health care.” ###