Victorian Doctors Seek Answers From OpenAI And Governments Over Medicare Breach

Authored by Rex Widerstrom via The Epoch Times,

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) Victorian branch has called on OpenAI and the Victorian and federal governments to explain how they will protect patient health data following a security incident in which an OpenAI agent gained unauthorized access to a Medicare statistics portal.

While the doctors' group noted that no personal information appears to have been accessed, AMA Victoria President Dr Simon Judkins asked, "What happens next time if an AI agent gains access to a system containing sensitive clinical information?"

Judkins said the breach raised serious questions for doctors and patients.

"Confidentiality remains absolutely critical to maintaining a trusted relationship between a doctor and their patient, and increasingly that depends on the security of the digital systems we use every day," he said.

"Patients and doctors need confidence that unauthorized access will be detected quickly and reported immediately ... Why did it take nearly three months for Australian authorities to be notified?"

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the agent reached the Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal, run by Services Australia, on June 18.

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