This chapter describes areas that could help to reduce uncertainties, increase knowledge and streamline processes so that health and care services can acquire, implement and realise benefits from AI solutions more rapidly.
Two focus areas have already been initiated. The first area is to prepare guidance for those who intend to procure and introduce AI systems. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has also taken the initiative to establish and lead a health working group in the mirror committee for artificial intelligence in Standards Norway [37] so that the sector can both build expertise on and contribute to standardisation work with its needs.
Some of the new recommended areas concern establishing structures for the sharing of experience and the re-use of methods for testing, validation and implementation between the stakeholders in the health sector. The recommendations also address the need to clarify possible benefits, barriers and needs relating to funding, as well as the need for data and infrastructures. to better understand the needs and clarify the most appropriate measures, along with who should take responsibility for them, these topics will be addressed in the seminar series on the integrated use of AI in the health and care services (section 1.2).
While the plan focuses on adopting commercial AI products, it also includes a focus area linked to the development and commercialisation of AI systems (section 4.4). Further development of health technology assessments (HTA), so that they also take account of AI, is recommended in section 4.5.
Background
Section 6.6 of the final report for the coordination project contains the following recommendation:
- The need for national coordination measures should be investigated with a view to cooperation and joint solutions in fields where such an approach offers clear positive synergies for quality and resource utilisation. For example, there are overarching frameworks for quality assurance and validation, health technology assessments (HTAs) including cost-benefit analyses, requirements for collaboration between regions, common testing environments for AI models, cooperation concerning procurement, technical infrastructure and data access, and assessing the need to establish regional resource centres (such as the Norwegian centre for clinical AI (SPKI) at the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN)).