AB 1979: Health care services: artificial intelligence.

(1)The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) prohibits a provider of health care, a health care service plan, a contractor, or a corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates from intentionally sharing, selling, using for marketing, or otherwise using any medical information, as defined, for any purpose not necessary to provide health care services to a patient, except as provided. The CMIA makes a business that offers software or hardware to consumers, including a mobile application or other related device that is designed to maintain medical information in order to make the information available to an individual or a provider of health care at the request of the individual or a provider of health care, for purposes of allowing the individual to manage the individuals information or for the diagnosis, treatment, or management of a medical condition of the individual, a provider of health care subject to the requirements of the CMIA. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor.

(2)Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities and clinics by the State Department of Public Health. Existing law generally makes a violation of these provisions a crime. Existing law requires a health facility, clinic, physicians office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information, as defined, to ensure that those communications include both a disclaimer that indicates to the patient that a communication was generated by generative artificial intelligence, as specified, and clear instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee, or other appropriate person, except as specified.

This bill would prohibit a health facility, clinic, physicians office, or office or a group practice from using or deploying a tool, system, or device that includes artificial intelligence for any activity requiring the use of professional judgment by a licensed health care professional, as specified, and would prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to direct, guide, supervise, or instruct unlicensed personnel in performing any function that requires a professional license. The bill would authorize the appropriate professional licensing board to pursue an injunction or restraining order to enforce these provisions to the extent that a violation constitutes the practice of a health care profession without a license. The bill would specify that these provisions do not prohibit the use of artificial intelligence for documentation and communication that does not involve the application of professional judgment, including automated messages to inform patients of updates to their health records. By placing new requirements on health facilities and clinics, this bill would expand the scope of a crime and would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.