Журнал диагностических методов и биомедицинского анализа

How Implicit Bias Affects AI in Healthcare

Tania M. Martin-Mercado, PhD1,2* and Damon House3

Implicit bias is a natural survival instinct inherent in human beings. However, when implicit bias is not addressed in a healthcare setting, health disparites, gaps in care, and discriminiation can occur in a clinical setting. Algorithmic bias in healthcare still exists today, and as new technologies and digital innovations are introduced into the care continuum, leaders must acknowledge that many of the foundations the tools are built upon contain damaging bias that negatively impacts patient care. Taking deliberate steps to mitigate these biases can reduce health disparities and allow the promise of artificial intelligence to be fully realized in improving patient outcomes.