With the support of the AI Ethics Lab at Erasmus MC – co-founded by internist-intensivist Michel van Genderen, Project Coordinator of INDICATE – TU Delft Digital Ethics Centre is accredited by the World Health Organization (WHO). From now on, the centre will advise the WHO on ethical aspects and regulations regarding AI in healthcare.

“AI has great potential to transform healthcare, but that can only happen if what we do is done right,” said Michel van Genderen.

Quality of life

Healthcare systems worldwide are under pressure. Implementing AI in healthcare is one of the most frequently cited solutions. However, applying AI in healthcare is not without challenges. In fact, research shows that only two percent of all AI innovations are actually adopted in practice. Many innovations do not function well in real-world settings or fail to gain acceptance from healthcare professionals. Additionally, AI introduces various ethical dilemmas—such as the decision between initiating life-extending treatments for a patient versus focusing on quality of life.

In practice

To successfully implement AI in healthcare, it is crucial to establish clear ethical standards. International guidelines have been developed, but they must still be translated into practical application. This is where the TU Delft Digital Ethics Centre will play a key role. The centre collaborates with Erasmus MC in the AI Ethics Lab (REAiHL).

Safe and responsible use

Van Genderen co-founded the AI Ethics Lab in 2023 together with intensivist and ICU head Diederik Gommers, Associate Professor Stefan Buijsman from TU Delft, and Distinguished Professor Jeroen van den Hoven from TU Delft. The lab brings together nurses, doctors, data scientists, data engineers, researchers, and ethicists to ensure that AI is deployed safely and responsibly in patient care.

The foundation

Van Genderen explains: “I am convinced that AI will transform the way we work in healthcare. But AI can only improve healthcare if we build on a strong ethical foundation. The foundation is key—what we do must be right. We must take the lead and define the standards in this emerging field.”

“AI is already helping us determine when a patient can be safely discharged after an oncological surgery.”

Earlier discharge

“The WHO accreditation confirms that this collaboration is unique and improves healthcare for everyone. We are already seeing this in an ongoing project at Erasmus MC, where AI helps us determine when a patient can be safely discharged after a major oncological surgery. On average, these patients are able to go home four days earlier.”

Potential for the future

This success lays the groundwork for further innovations. Ideas developed at TU Delft can be tested directly in a hospital environment, opening new possibilities for real-world applications. Stefan Buijsman, co-founder of the TU Delft Digital Ethics Centre, is enthusiastic about the potential: “It is essential to assess whether our ideas work in a hospital setting. We develop ethical guidelines and technological solutions, and Erasmus MC provides the environment to test their practical effectiveness and identify unmet needs.”

“By joining forces, we ensure that AI can actually be used in the workplace—because it is truly needed.”

A necessary step

Gommers also shares his enthusiasm: “This accreditation confirms that the collaboration between TU Delft, Erasmus MC, and Erasmus University is yielding significant results within Convergence. By combining our strengths, we ensure that AI can be effectively implemented in clinical practice—because it is truly needed. However, this must always be done safely and responsibly.”

The Responsible and Ethical AI in Healthcare Lab (REAiHL) is a partnership between Erasmus MC, TU Delft, and software company SAS. The Erasmus MC DataHub serves as the lab’s base, where scientists, physicians, and data scientists collaborate to develop guidelines for ethical and relevant AI implementation in healthcare. Erasmus MC consolidates all its AI expertise within the AI Accelerator, and REAiHL is part of the Convergence Centre for Responsible AI in Healthcare.

The WHO is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) dedicated to global health.