Section § 1339.75

Explanation

This law requires health facilities, clinics, and medical offices that use generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create patient communications about clinical information to include two things: a disclaimer that clearly indicates the communication was AI-generated and instructions for contacting a human healthcare provider. The disclaimer must be prominently displayed depending on the communication format: at the beginning of letters and emails, throughout online chats and video interactions, and verbally at the start and end of audio interactions.

If a human healthcare provider reviews the AI-generated communication before it's shared, these requirements do not apply. Violations of this law are subject to specific enforcement actions, varying by the type of healthcare facility or provider involved. Generative AI refers to systems capable of creating content like images and text. The law outlines definitions for key terms related to healthcare provider types and patient information.

(a)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a) A health facility, clinic, physician’s office, or office of a group practice that uses generative artificial intelligence to generate written or verbal patient communications pertaining to patient clinical information shall ensure that those communications include both of the following:
(1)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(1) A disclaimer that indicates to the patient that the communication was generated by generative artificial intelligence.
(A)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(1)(A) For written communications involving physical and digital media, including letters, emails, and other occasional messages, the disclaimer shall appear prominently at the beginning of each communication.
(B)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(1)(B) For written communications involving continuous online interactions, including chat-based telehealth, the disclaimer shall be prominently displayed throughout the interaction.
(C)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(1)(C) For audio communications, the disclaimer shall be provided verbally at the start and the end of the interaction.
(D)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(1)(D) For video communications, the disclaimer shall be prominently displayed throughout the interaction.
(2)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(a)(2) Clear instructions describing how a patient may contact a human health care provider, employee of the health facility, clinic, physician’s office, or office of a group provider, or other appropriate person.
(b)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(b) If a communication is generated by generative artificial intelligence and read and reviewed by a human licensed or certified health care provider, the requirements of subdivision (a) do not apply.
(c)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(1) “Artificial intelligence” means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in its level of autonomy and that can, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input it receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.
(2)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(2) “Clinic” has the same meaning as defined in Section 1200.
(3)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(3) “Generative artificial intelligence” means artificial intelligence that can generate derived synthetic content, including images, videos, audio, text, and other digital content.
(4)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(4) “Health care provider” means a person licensed or certified pursuant to Division 2 (commencing with Section 500) of the Business and Professions Code.
(5)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(5) “Health facility” has the same meaning as defined in Section 1250.
(6)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(6) “Office of a group practice” means an office or offices in which two or more physicians are legally organized as a partnership, professional corporation, or not-for-profit corporation licensed according to subdivision (a) of Section 1204.
(7)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(7) “Patient clinical information” means information relating to the health status of a patient. This information does not include administrative matters, including, but not limited to, appointment scheduling, billing, or other clerical or business matters.
(8)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(c)(8) “Physician’s office” means an office of a physician in solo practice.
(d)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(d)
(1)Copy CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(d)(1) A violation of this section by a licensed health facility is subject to the enforcement mechanisms described in Article 3 (commencing with Section 1275) of Chapter 2.
(2)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(d)(2) A violation of this section by a licensed clinic is subject to the enforcement mechanisms described in Article 3 (commencing with Section 1225) of Chapter 1.
(3)CA Health and Safety Code § 1339.75(d)(3) A violation of this section by a physician is subject to the jurisdiction of the Medical Board of California or the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, as appropriate.