Data Hungry AI: Balancing the Protection of Patient Data with Innovation in the European Union’s Remote Healthcare Systems

Abstract

<p>Integrating AI in remote patient monitoring systems (<a href="https://www.oracle.com/au/health/remote-patient-monitoring/">RPMS</a>) has advanced patient care in the European Union. Still, it raises data compliance challenges under the General Data Protection Regulation (<a href="https://d.docs.live.net/80f51f85681b796c/Desktop/Blog%20Papers/%E2%80%98Regulation%20-%202016/679%20-%20EN%20-%20Gdpr%20-%20EUR-Lex%E2%80%99%20%3chttps:/eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng">GDPR</a>) due to AI’s need for vast data. In this paper, I examine this conflict with the <a href="https://d.docs.live.net/80f51f85681b796c/Desktop/Blog%20Papers/%E2%80%98Regulation%20-%202016/679%20-%20EN%20-%20Gdpr%20-%20EUR-Lex%E2%80%99%20%3chttps:/eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj/eng">GDPR</a> principle of data minimisation and posit that the enforcement of the GDPR alongside the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (<a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj/eng">AIA</a>) will cushion this conflict. I conclude by highlighting that the coming into force of the European Health Data Space (<a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A52022PC0197">EHDS</a>) will help balance the dilemma between the need to uphold the principle of data minimisation and allow AI-driven scientific progress.</p>