AMA News Wire<\/p>\n
How to develop AI policies that work for your organization\u2019s needs<\/p>\n
Aug 18, 2025<\/p>\n
Physicians are excited about\u00a0augmented intelligence<\/a> (AI)\u2014commonly called artificial intelligence\u2014and its uses are expanding daily.<\/p>\n With the ever-growing number of applications for AI in the health care setting and excitement in adopting these technologies, it is important for health care organizations to have policy in place to manage the rapidly changing landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTechnology is moving very, very quickly. It\u2019s moving much faster than we\u2019re able to actually implement these tools, so setting up an appropriate governance structure now is more important than it\u2019s ever been because we\u2019ve never seen such quick rates of adoption,\u201d said Margaret Lozovatsky, MD<\/a>, who is chief medical information officer and vice president of digital health innovations at the AMA.<\/p>\n Nearly 70% of physicians the AMA surveyed said they used AI tools in 2024, up from 38% just a year earlier. And\u00a0enthusiasm for the technology<\/a> that can help with administrative and clinical responsibilities, was up, too. The survey showed that 35% of physicians queried reporting that their enthusiasm for health AI exceeded their concerns. That\u2019s up from the 30% of physicians who felt that way just a year earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n The AMA STEPS Forward\u00ae \u201cGovernance for Augmented Intelligence<\/a>\u201d toolkit, developed in collaboration with Manatt Health, is a comprehensive eight-step guide for health care systems to establish a governance framework to implement, manage and scale AI solutions. It includes a step dedicated to help organizations develop AI policies.<\/p>\n The\u00a0foundational pillars of responsible AI adoption<\/a> are:<\/p>\n Establishing executive accountability and structure.Forming a working group to detail priorities, processes and policies.Assessing current policies.Developing AI policies.Defining project intake, vendor evaluation and assessment processes.Updating standard planning and implementation processes.Establishing an oversight and monitoring process.Supporting AI organizational readiness.<\/p>\n From AI implementation to EHR adoption and usability, the AMA is\u00a0fighting to make technology work for physicians<\/a>, ensuring that it is an asset to doctors\u2014not a burden.\u00a0<\/p>\n The AMA defines AI as augmented intelligence to emphasize that AI\u2019s role is to help health care professionals, not replace them.<\/p>\n What to include in an AI policy<\/p>\n What to include in an AI policy<\/p>\n The AMA toolkit includes a model AI policy document that health care organizations can download and modify to align with their existing governance structure, roles, responsibilities and processes. Health systems should also be aware of state and federal laws that could impact AI\u2019s use.<\/p>\n At minimum, an organization\u2019s AI policy should articulate:<\/p>\n Definitions for relevant terms such as generative AI and machine learning.AI risks, including the risks associated with a lack of transparency, patient safety and data privacy and security.Permitted uses of approved and publicly available AI tools. This includes describing permitted-use cases, such as using AI for developing drafts of marking materials and research summaries.Prohibited AI uses, such as entering patients\u2019 personal health information into publicly available AI tools.Permitted uses of approved AI tools, such as requirements and guidelines that all team members should follow when using AI tools.Governance, evaluation and approval processes for AI tools.Description of AI accountability and oversight, including risk assessment and regulatory compliance.Policy for how long AI generated information and a patient visit recordings will be retained.Transparency, including guidelines on when and how clinicians and patients should be made aware that AI is being used.Training, for example, incorporating AI training in the annual and ad hoc training program for everyone in the organization who uses AI. Training should include relevant AI policies such as what AI use is permitted and what is not. The\u00a0AMA Ed Hub<\/a>\u2122 routinely published educational content that may be helpful for organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n Stay up to date on AI\n<\/p>\n Follow the latest news on AI and its applications and effects for health care\u2014delivered to your inbox.<\/p>\n Also evaluate existing policy<\/p>\n Also evaluate existing policy<\/p>\n After AI policy is developed, it is important to review existing policies and procedures and make any necessary revisions or cross-references to the new policy. Some examples of policies that organizations should consider reviewing are:<\/p>\n Antidiscrimination.Code of conduct and code of ethics.Contracting and signatory authority.Data and security.Data use.Informed consent.Inventory management.Patient safety reporting.Training.Vendor contracting.<\/p>\n Find out how participants in the AMA Health System Member Program\u00a0are using AI to make meaningful change<\/a>. You also can watch a recent\u00a0AMA webinar<\/a>\u00a0exploring how to establish an AI governance framework<\/p>\n In addition to fighting on\u00a0the legislative front to help ensure that technology is an asset to physicians and not a burden, the AMA has developed\u00a0advocacy principles\u00a0<\/a>(PDF) that address the development, deployment and use of health care AI, with particular emphasis on:<\/p>\n Health care AI oversight.When and what to disclose to advance AI transparency.Generative AI policies and governance.Physician liability for use of AI-enabled technologies.AI data privacy and cybersecurity.Payer use of AI and automated decision-making systems.<\/p>\n Learn more with the AMA about the\u00a0emerging landscape of health care AI<\/a>. Also, explore how to apply AI to transform health care with the \u201cAMA ChangeMedEd\u00ae\u00a0Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Series<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Making technology work for physicians<\/p>\n CME<\/a>: Improving patient-clinician telehealth communication<\/p>\n Podcast<\/a>: The future of telehealth services<\/p>\n Video<\/a>: Uses of artificial intelligence in mental health<\/p>\n