Healthcare leaders turn AI awareness into action with risk assessments
Last month, our article on AI governance in healthcare became
one of the week’s most-read pieces on Mondaq. The takeaway was clear: healthcare leaders are paying attention to the ethical, security, and compliance challenges AI brings.
During our recent webinar with Granite GRC, AI Governance in Healthcare: How Compliance Teams Can Manage Risk and Stay Ahead, attendees from hospitals, outpatient networks, digital health innovators, and service providers joined the conversation. The discussion was lively. The questions were pointed. The poll results told a story: while over a third of organizations have already conducted an AI-specific risk assessment in the past year, many others are still only planning to.
The healthcare organizations that avoid the big headlines aren’t lucky – they’re intentional. They’ve made AI governance part of their everyday risk and compliance program.
Granite GRC
Jeffrey B. Miller
Esq, Director-in-Charge
Why AI risk assessments are the missing link
AI risk assessments turn awareness into tangible action. They’re the bridge between knowing AI has risks – bias, data integrity issues, opaque algorithms – and putting safeguards in place.
In healthcare, those standards are exceptionally high. HIPAA compliance, patient safety, vendor management, and regulatory scrutiny all demand a more tailored approach than AI governance in other industries.
Risk and compliance leaders can’t be brought in after the fact. An AI risk assessment isn’t a rubber stamp – it’s a structured process that ensures decisions about AI are aligned with ethical, legal, and operational standards from day one.
Granite GRC
Clivetty Martinez, PhD
Director, Compliance and Privacy Services
Core elements of an effective AI risk assessment in healthcare
An AI-specific risk assessment ensures your AI strategy is ethical, compliant, and operationally sound. Start with these foundational elements:
Identify potential sources of bias in data and algorithms
Review datasets and algorithm design to uncover possible bias that could impact outcomes and patient safety.
Confirm data integrity and security safeguards
Ensure the AI system’s data is accurate, protected, and compliant with HIPAA and other privacy regulations.
Evaluate vendor risk and oversight mechanisms
Assess contracts, performance monitoring, and vendor governance to maintain control over third-party AI tools.
AI in Healthcare: Why Compliance Can’t Afford to Fall Behind
AI is reshaping healthcare – but without strong governance, the risks are just as powerful as the rewards.
Advanced best practices for AI risk assessment in healthcare
Once the foundation is in place, enhance your assessment with these additional measures:
Map AI use cases to applicable healthcare regulations
Align each AI application to relevant laws, standards, and ethical guidelines for your jurisdiction.
Ensure cross-functional review
Involve compliance, clinical, IT, and legal teams to provide diverse perspectives and oversight.
Include ongoing monitoring and periodic reassessment
Track AI performance over time and reassess regularly to ensure sustained compliance and safety.
From compliance burden to strategic advantage
NAVEX and Granite GRC have seen firsthand how collaboration between risk, compliance, and operational leaders turns AI governance from a compliance burden into a strategic advantage. Organizations can move from reactive firefighting to proactive resilience through governance frameworks, training, and culture-building tools.
Your next step: from awareness to action
Turning awareness into action starts here. Catch the webinar replay for real-world examples, schedule a consultation with Granite GRC to map your next steps, and see how NAVEX healthcare compliance management software supports stronger, smarter compliance programs.
And if you’re ready for an in-person conversation, join us this October in Philadelphia for a regional event with Granite GRC and NAVEX. We’ll explore ethical healthcare leadership in the AI era and share practical tools to strengthen your compliance culture – more details to come!
