AMA launches center for digital health and artificial intelligence to boost physician voice in technology
The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare is growing rapidly, but doctors are often left out of discussions about how to effectively implement these technologies.
That's why the American Medical Association (AMA) launched its new Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Center on Monday at the HLTH conference in Las Vegas. It aims to educate and support clinicians in adopting artificial intelligence and other technologies.
“Everyone is talking about digital health and artificial intelligence, but I don't think we're having the right conversations. Too often, we have the technology and then we try to find a problem to solve, and we really have to change that. … We need physician leadership, and that's where the AMA comes in,” John Whyte, MD, MPH, AMA CEO and executive vice president, said in an interview at the conference.
The center has four key priorities:
- Policy and Regulatory Leadership: The AMA will work with policymakers to determine guidance on how to use artificial intelligence and digital tools safely and effectively in health care. The American Medical Association hopes to work with the Trump administration to determine the appropriate level of regulation of artificial intelligence.
“Too much regulation stifles innovation, and too little regulation creates a Wild West,” White said.
- Clinical Workflow Integration: The center will identify ways for physicians to integrate digital tools into clinical workflows to improve patient and clinician experiences. One of the obstacles to achieving this, White said, is that AI tools don't understand how doctors work. White said many tech companies promote artificial intelligence to help doctors see more patients, but that's not what doctors really want. What clinicians are really looking for is more time to care for each patient, not increased patient burden.
- Education and training: The center will help physicians and health systems understand how to use artificial intelligence efficiently and effectively in practice. Areas where the AMA will educate physicians include how to develop these tools, how to minimize bias and what to do if problems are identified.
- Collaboration: AMA will work with the healthcare ecosystem to advance AI in healthcare. This includes technology companies, payers, researchers, governments and others. For payers in particular, it will be important to determine how to pay for these AI tools.
AMA research shows physicians are enthusiastic about adopting artificial intelligence. About two-thirds of doctors use AI tools in some way in their practice. However, about a quarter of doctors are still concerned about the use of artificial intelligence due to data privacy and security concerns.
Ultimately, White said, by launching the Center for Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence, the AMA hopes to better understand the state of digital health in the coming years.
“I think it would be great to have a deeper understanding of how consumers and patients are engaging, especially with the use of wearables,” he said. “As more and more technology is able to be deployed outside of the home healthcare system, how do we still have processes where physicians are involved? I think we want to play a key role in generating AI and agent AI and developing strategic plans around how to improve patient care.”
Photo: ValeryBrozhinsky, Getty Images
