American Medical Association rolls out governance framework for agentic AI solutions
AMA CEO John Whyte, M.D., told Fierce Healthcare the increasing use of AI in clinical functions is “raising urgent questions about clinical authority, oversight and accountability.”
The American Medical Association (AMA) has introduced a governance framework for agentic artificial intelligence (AI) systems that perform clinical functions. The framework, developed by the AMA’s Center for Digital Health and AI, aims to ensure that these technologies enhance patient care while maintaining clinical authority and accountability.
The AMA refers to AI technologies as "augmented intelligence" to highlight their supportive role in medicine. The core principle of the framework is that clinical authority should be earned through evidence and maintained through demonstrated performance. The AMA acknowledges that authority and oversight can evolve based on evidence, performance, risk, and technological advancements.
The organization will focus on defining the clinical role of AI systems, validating their performance and safeguards, setting limits on their authority, and establishing accountability for their use, including risks and outcomes. These focus areas will guide the AMA's collaboration with healthcare providers and stakeholders on liability, licensure, and regulatory approaches.
AMA Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Whyte emphasized that AI is progressing toward handling more significant clinical functions, necessitating urgent discussions about clinical authority, oversight, and accountability. He stressed that the AMA's framework sets an ambitious agenda to address these critical questions, including liability, licensure, and regulation.
The framework will direct the AMA's work with physicians, patients, technology developers, and policymakers to ensure that clinical authority is earned through evidence, oversight adapts to risk levels, and accountability is sustained. This initiative marks the AMA's most recent effort to influence AI usage and governance in healthcare.
In May, the organization released a comprehensive framework to safeguard physicians from unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes, aiming to fill legal gaps while updating physician identity protections. The framework adheres to seven policy principles: safeguarding physician identity, prohibiting deceptive medical impersonation, obtaining informed, opt-in, and revocable consent, mandating transparency and labeling, sharing responsibility to prevent impersonation, enforcing practical remedies, and minimizing administrative burden.
Additionally, in April, the AMA urged lawmakers to strengthen safeguards against AI chatbots used in mental health services, recommending strict data protection standards, transparency measures, and penalizing organizations for deceptive practices.
Written by urgent.news from Fierce Healthcare's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
