On 5 September 2018 the Hospital Federation of France (FHF) launched a new mission for the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to healthcare. The objective is to stimulate and support projects that use new technologies in order to prepare for their impact on the sector.

Cyrille Politi, digitalization advisor at the FHF, emphasizes the importance to rethink current practices and stimulate new approaches. The use of data can improve the quality of care for the benefit of patients. However, ensuring the protection of patients’ personal data and warranting equal access to technological innovations are also vital. Therefore, the FHF takes a broad multidisciplinary approach to AI by striving to promote, support and train in the use of AI for healthcare.

Experiments alone are not going to be enough to make AI thrive. The goal is to actually use AI in health, hence a study was launched to answer questions and concerns about AI from healthcare institutions that would like to utilize the technology. Partnerships will be formed with these institutions to remove barriers to use AI and provide them with the necessary expertise and operational support.

Secondly, the FHF and its Research and Innovation Fund also launch an online survey on the impact of AI on healthcare professions. How will AI and humans work together? And will jobs change for nurses, doctors, professors and care givers as a result? Enguerrand Habran, director of the FHF Fund, explains that the survey is meant to “detect the most relevant uses of this technology in various healthcare professions in order to put the right training in place and evaluate the degree of either completion or substitution between humans and AI”.