University of Glasgow

Generative AI in Healthcare: Responsible Decision Making

University of Glasgow

Generative AI in Healthcare: Responsible Decision Making

Ourania Varsou
Hamish Runciman
Jasmine Oughton

Instructors: Ourania Varsou

What you'll learn

  • Explain the fundamentals of Generative AI and apply effective prompting and critical evaluation strategies for responsible use.

  • Discuss the opportunities, limitations and risks of Generative AI across public, digital, commercial and research healthcare contexts.

  • Critically compare Generative AI and human roles in healthcare, recognising when human judgement, oversight and intervention are required.

  • Critically evaluate responsible Generative AI use in healthcare, including data governance, accountability, equity and sustainability.

Details to know

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Assessments

13 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English
Recently updated!

September 2026

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There are 4 modules in this course

Develop the foundations needed to use genAI critically and responsibly. You will explore how genAI works, different types of genAI tools and how effective prompting can shape outputs. Through interactive activities and worked examples, you will also examine why genAI can produce factual errors, hallucinations, bias and unsafe overconfidence and apply a safety loop that keeps human judgement at the centre of use.

What's included

3 videos11 readings3 assignments

Explore how genAI can support planning and decision-making within complex public healthcare contexts. You will work through realistic healthcare challenges involving demand, resources, workforce planning and patient deterioration, critically examining how context, hidden assumptions, safety, fairness and equity can influence AI-generated recommendations. You will consider the respective contributions of genAI and humans and when professional judgement should guide, challenge or override an AI output.

What's included

3 videos5 readings3 assignments

Examine how genAI is being used to support scalable, digital and commercially delivered healthcare. You will explore patient-facing communication, automation and commercial AI products alongside important considerations around privacy, confidentiality, security and data use. You will also distinguish prompting from model training and fine-tuning and learn to critically evaluate commercial AI claims, including recognising potential AI washing and the importance of evidence and human oversight.

What's included

3 videos3 readings3 assignments

Explore the wider implications of genAI use in healthcare. You will examine research integrity and evidence, explore why genAI may perform differently across populations and settings and consider representation, access, equity and local suitability. You will also explore the environmental impact of genAI and bring these perspectives together to make informed, human-centred decisions about whether and how genAI should be used.

What's included

3 videos5 readings4 assignments

Instructors

Ourania Varsou
University of Glasgow
2 Courses3,088 learners

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¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.