Cabinet targets halving administration burden through AI deployment

The Schoof administration wants to use generative artificial intelligence to significantly reduce the administrative burden in healthcare. By 2030, healthcare providers must spend half as much time on administrative work. So says the new coalition program, in which the plans are elaborated from the outline agreement between PVV, VVD, NSC and BBB.

If policy remains unchanged, the shortage of personnel in the health and welfare sector will rise to nearly 200,000 employees by 2033. The government wants to prevent this by deploying artificial intelligence (AI). In particular, the possibilities of generative AI -also referred to as Large Language Models (LLMs)- are "revolutionary," according to the cabinet.

Practical trial
"A practical trial shows that the administration time of a consultation can be reduced from seven minutes to less than sixteen seconds," the cabinet figures in the reign program. "Using AI, even draft letters and e-mails can be generated automatically, both in the medical specialist's jargon and in understandable language for the patient."

Primary process
All this should lead to a halving of the time spent by care providers on administration. By using the freed up capacity for the primary process, the cabinet says the staff shortage can even be completely eliminated in the short term: "If we manage to halve the administration time to about 20 percent of working time, we are already there for the next few years."

Improve data availability
In order to give AI ample space, the cabinet is announcing some flanking measures. For example, the cabinet is going to accelerate the improvement of data availability and data exchange in health and welfare, taking into account privacy and data security requirements.

Incentive Scheme
Laws and regulations needed to accelerate the introduction of generative AI in hospital care are being addressed as a priority. Organizations in elderly care, disability care and mental health care that want to scale up proven digital forms of work can count on a contribution from the Technology Support and Care Incentive Scheme. For diagnostic AI, the cabinet wants to establish a medical-ethical framework.

Cut rules
The cabinet additionally promises to cut registration requirements in healthcare. "Laws and regulations that lead to unnecessary administrative time will be abolished. Trust in employees will be the starting point. The demand must be less. Together with the healthcare field and the envoys appointed for this purpose, we will draw up a working agenda."

In reducing the regulatory burden, the government wants to walk together with key stakeholders. "Reducing administration time is a responsibility of all of us. We support healthcare offices, insurers and providers in de-regulating care."