Model Context Protocols can serve as healthcare AI guardrails

Virginia Halsey of FDB introduced Model Context Protocols as AI "guardrails" for healthcare, framing them as enforceable contracts to ensure clinical safety and regulatory compliance in AI-driven decision-making. These protocols mandate AI systems meet high confidence thresholds before executing actions, reducing risks of errors in diagnostics, treatment recommendations, or operational workflows in healthcare settings. The framework contains AI behavior by defining strict operational boundaries, preventing unintended consequences like overreach, bias amplification, or non-compliant outputs in patient care scenarios. Halsey’s approach targets real-time clinical applications, emphasizing adaptability to evolving regulations while maintaining transparency—critical for trust in AI-assisted medical practices. The discussion, presented at a HIMSS event in February 2026, underscores urgency for standardized AI governance as adoption accelerates in high-stakes healthcare environments.