The Right to Informed Consent: Making Sure Patients Understand How AI Is Used in Their Care

# The Right to Informed Consent: Making Sure Patients Understand How AI Is Used in Their Care **Published: August 11, 2026** As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly involved in healthcare, patients have a fundamental right to understand when and how these technologies may influence their care. Informed consent is more than signing a form. It is the process of giving patients meaningful information so they can participate in decisions about their health with knowledge and confidence. When AI is used to assist with health information, risk assessment, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, monitoring, or other healthcare activities, patients should not be left wondering whether a machine played a role in an important decision. ## What Is Informed Consent? Informed consent is based on the principle that patients should have enough relevant information to make voluntary decisions about their healthcare. The American Medical Association describes informed consent as an important ethical and legal principle connected to a patient's right to make decisions about treatment. In practical terms, meaningful informed consent may involve explaining: * What healthcare service or intervention is being proposed * The expected benefits and potential risks * Available alternatives * What may happen if the patient declines * Who is responsible for the patient's care * When AI or another technology is being used in the process The goal is not to overwhelm patients with technical information. It is to provide understandable information that allows them to make an informed choice. ## Why Informed Consent Matters in AI-Powered Healthcare AI can process large amounts of information rapidly and identify patterns that may assist healthcare professionals. However, AI systems can also produce inaccurate, incomplete, biased, or misleading results. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the importance of protecting human autonomy in AI-powered healthcare and states that humans should remain in control of healthcare systems and medical decisions. WHO also identifies informed consent as an important part of protecting autonomy. This becomes especially important when patients may not realize that AI is involved. For example, a patient might reasonably want to know whether: * An AI system helped analyze medical images. * An algorithm contributed to a risk assessment. * AI-generated information was used to support a treatment recommendation. * Their health information was processed by an AI-enabled application. * A healthcare professional reviewed an AI-generated recommendation before acting on it. Transparency gives patients an opportunity to ask questions rather than simply accepting technology they may not understand. ## Consent Should Be Meaningful—not Merely a Checkbox One of the greatest challenges with digital healthcare is the possibility of turning informed consent into a routine checkbox. A patient may click “I agree” without understanding what technology is being used, what information is being collected, or how that information may affect their care. Meaningful consent should therefore be understandable and appropriate to the situation. Patients should have a reasonable opportunity to ask questions and receive explanations. The objective should be simple: **Patients should understand enough to make a voluntary and informed decision about their healthcare.** ## Privacy and Health Information Informed consent can also intersect with privacy and the use of health information. In the United States, HIPAA provides individuals with important rights concerning their protected health information, including, with limited exceptions, the right to access health information maintained by covered healthcare providers and health plans. However, privacy, consent, and authorization are not identical concepts. HHS explains that HIPAA distinguishes between certain voluntary consents and legally required authorizations for specific uses or disclosures of protected health information. This distinction matters as AI systems increasingly interact with health data. Patients should be able to understand, when applicable, what information is being collected, why it is being used, and who may have access to it. ## AI Should Support Patient Choice—not Replace It Informed consent reinforces an important principle: technology should support the patient-provider relationship rather than eliminate it. AI can help healthcare professionals analyze information and identify possibilities, but patients have individual values, preferences, experiences, and circumstances that may not be captured completely by an algorithm. The WHO has called for AI systems in healthcare to protect autonomy, promote safety, provide transparency, and establish responsibility and accountability. Informed consent helps translate these principles into patient-centered practice. ## Questions Patients Can Ask About AI Patients may consider asking: 1. **Is AI being used in my care?** 2. **What is the AI system being used for?** 3. **Will a healthcare professional review the AI's output?** 4. **What are the limitations or risks of the technology?** 5. **What information is being collected or analyzed?** 6. **How will my information be protected?** 7. **Are there alternatives if I do not want AI involved?** 8. **Who is ultimately responsible for decisions about my care?** Patients should feel comfortable asking these questions. Understanding how technology is used can help strengthen—not weaken—the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals. ## Keeping the Patient at the Center AI may become an increasingly important part of modern healthcare, but informed consent reminds us that healthcare remains fundamentally human. A patient's right to understand and participate in decisions should not disappear simply because an algorithm is involved. The best approach is one in which AI provides useful support while patients remain informed participants in their own healthcare decisions. Technology can process information, identify patterns, and assist professionals—but **patients should retain a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their health and well-being.** ### Conclusion The right to informed consent is an essential part of patient-centered healthcare. As AI becomes more common, transparency about its role should become equally important. Patients deserve understandable information, meaningful choices, privacy protections, and the opportunity to ask questions. Healthcare professionals and organizations using AI should work toward systems that make technology understandable rather than mysterious. **AI may help inform healthcare decisions, but informed consent helps ensure that the person receiving the care remains at the center of those decisions.** --- ## Disclaimer **Medical and Educational Disclaimer:** This article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, legal advice, or a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. Laws, regulations, consent requirements, privacy protections, and healthcare practices may vary by jurisdiction and individual circumstances. AI technologies may produce inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information and should not be relied upon as a substitute for qualified professional judgment. Readers should consult an appropriate healthcare, legal, or other qualified professional regarding specific questions or circumstances. --- ## References 1. **World Health Organization (WHO).** *Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health: WHO Guidance.* June 28, 2021. 2. **World Health Organization (WHO).** *WHO Calls for Safe and Ethical AI for Health.* May 16, 2023. 3. **World Health Organization (WHO).** *WHO Issues First Global Report on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health and Six Guiding Principles for Its Design and Use.* June 28, 2021. 4. **World Health Organization (WHO).** *Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health: Guidance on Large Multi-Modal Models.* March 25, 2025. 5. **U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office for Human Research Protections.** *Informed Consent FAQs.* 6. **U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).** *What Personal Health Information Do Individuals Have a Right to Access Under HIPAA?* 7. **American Medical Association (AMA), Journal of Ethics.** *AMA Code of Medical Ethics’ Opinion on Informing Patients about Treatment Options.* **Article date:** August 11, 2026 **Content note:** This article is original educational content prepared for AIPureHealth and should be reviewed periodically as AI healthcare technologies, laws, regulations, and professional guidance evolve.