Siemens Healthineers, a leading global medical technology company and in healthcare's digital transformation, testified on Nov. 29 before the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The hearing, "Understanding How AI is Changing Healthcare," focused on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in revolutionizing healthcare delivery and the challenges and opportunities facing AI adoption in healthcare. Siemens Healthineers has been working on applying artificial intelligence in medical technology for more than 20 years and has more than 80 FDA-cleared products on the market that represent groundbreaking innovations for patients.
Head of Digital & Automation for North America Peter Shen testified before the Committee about Siemens Healthineers' AI technology, the company's quality assurance and regulatory processes, and its protocols to de-identify and protect patient data. Siemens Healthineers works from the inception of AI development with the goal of building algorithms that are reliable, accurate, unbiased, and protect the patient. To support the development of reliable AI algorithms that are reflective of the patient populations they will be applied toward, Siemens Healthineers maintains a holistic view of the patient with high-quality AI training data, that is based on a balanced cohort of people of different ages, genders, ethnicities, healthy people and those who are sick.
The testimony highlighted ways AI could improve access to care, diagnose disease faster and more precisely, and enable physicians to make treatment decisions based on comprehensive access to patient data in real-time. Shen also addressed the major obstacle to AI adoption in healthcare: the financial investment.
"One barrier to AI adoption is that while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has recognized the value and the complex nature of AI, the agency’s reimbursement decisions have not uniformly and consistently ensured appropriate levels of payment for these products," said Shen. "We firmly believe a consistent, predictable approach to reimbursement will incentivize innovation, adoption and access to medically appropriate AI technologies across the healthcare system—especially in rural and underserved communities."
Shen concluded the testimony by reinforcing the need for a joint effort to ensure trust with consumers and to build ethical, transparent and accessible AI in healthcare to ultimately improve patient outcomes.
For more information about Siemens Healthineers and its AI-based solutions, visit www.siemens-healthineers.com.
Media contact
Kimberly Nissen
Phone: +1 610-241-2129
E-mail: Kimberly.nissen@siemens-healthineers.com
Follow the media relations team on X.
Siemens Healthineers pioneers breakthroughs in healthcare. For everyone. Everywhere. Sustainably. The company is a global provider of healthcare equipment, solutions and services, with activities in more than 180 countries and direct representation in more than 70. The group comprises Siemens Healthineers AG, listed as SHL in Frankfurt, Germany, and its subsidiaries. As a leading medical technology company, Siemens Healthineers is committed to improving access to healthcare for underserved communities worldwide and is striving to overcome the most threatening diseases. The company is principally active in the areas of imaging, diagnostics, cancer care and minimally invasive therapies, augmented by digital technology and artificial intelligence. In fiscal 2023, which ended on September 30, 2023, Siemens Healthineers had approximately 71,000 employees worldwide and generated revenue of around €21.7 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com.
