The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the largest integrated healthcare system in the country. VA is responsible for vast amounts of data, including the largest genomic knowledge base in the world linked to health care information. In addition, VA trains the largest number of nurses and doctors in the United States.
VA is committed to creating and implementing a unified trustworthy AI framework based on the highest federal standards to promote Veteran trust in AI-delivered health care and benefits services.
Approved for agency-wide use in July 2023, VA’s Trustworthy AI Framework is based on six important principles:
Purposeful, Effective and Safe, Secure and Private, Fair and Equitable, Transparent and Explainable, Accountable and Monitored
AI implemented in a responsible manner has enormous potential to benefit our nation’s Veterans by improving patient care and the trust Veterans have in the services they receive.
Executive Order 13960 promotes the use of trustworthy AI in the Federal Government. Under this policy, agencies are required to design, develop, aquire and use AI in a way that fosters public trust and confidence while protecting patient privacy. Public trust plays a vital role in the acceptance and adoption of AI. Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (Executive Order 14091) emphasizes the importance of incorporating ethical, fair and unbiased protections in all AI activities, including training, to ensure fair and beneficial outcomes for anyone affected by automated decision making.
VA has launched the AI@VA Community that will provide Veterans and the public with information about AI.
VA is committed to upholding the high standards of trustworthy AI set by the federal government and continues to contribute to various orders and guidelines published by the White House.
For example, the White House AI Bill of Rights addresses core protections to which all Americans are entitled. VA strictly follows this benchmark to protect patient rights and support health care providers.
The White House AI Bill of Rights provides five pillars to guide the design, development and use of AI to ensure the rights of the American public are protected. The five pillars aim to counteract preexisting biases and inequalities in current systems. To further protect Veterans and support their health care, the VA has instituted a Principle-Based Ethics Framework for Access to and Use of Veteran Data. This policy ensures ethics and privacy standards for Veterans that provide additional protection, beyond what is offered in traditional privacy practices.
Learn More About the White House AI Bill of Rights Fact Sheet.
Learn more about how VA has included Trustworthy AI in the VA AI Strategy
