AMA launches new Center for Digital Health and AI

Successful healthcare leaders agree that there’s no substitute for strong and sustained physician engagement in the AI development and deployment process. But many provider organizations – and perhaps even more AI solutions vendors – have struggled to find a meaningful, scalable way to integrate physician feedback into AI creation and implementation. 

The American Medical Association (AMA) is aiming to change that with the launch of its new Center for Digital Health and AI, which will “tap the full potential of AI and digital health by embedding physicians throughout the lifecycle of technology development and deployment to ensure it fits into clinical workflow and physicians know how to utilize it.” 

Collaborating with stakeholders to enhance physician engagement

According to a press release, the Center for Digital Health and AI will focus on four key areas: 

• Working with regulators, policymakers, and technology leaders to establish guardrails and benchmarks for the safe and effective use of AI in healthcare 
• Opening up more opportunities for physicians to get involved in developing AI and digital tools that can truly integrate into workflows to enhance the experiences of both patients and providers 
• Providing physicians and health systems with the educational resources and training to effectively and efficiently integrate AI-enabled solutions into clinical practice 
• Collaborating with partners across the development, research, government, and healthcare sectors to ensure innovation remains aligned with patient needs 

“Augmented Intelligence will be a defining force in the future of health care, but right now we are barely scratching the surface of its potential. Digital health tools are everywhere, and the technology has limitless opportunity, but if you don’t understand clinical practice or clinical workflow, even the best tools will never be fully implemented,” said AMA CEO & Executive Vice President John Whyte, MD, MPH.  

“By launching this Center, the AMA is leading in this space, so physicians have a say in the technology and clinical care of the future,” Whyte continued. “Our goal is to harness innovation responsibly and effectively, so it improves patient care and reduces unnecessary burdens on physicians.” 

Adding to the scaffolding of industry leadership on AI implementation

The Center complements other recent industry efforts to bring more structure and guidance to the burgeoning AI environment.  

For example, The Joint Commission and the Coalition for Healthcare AI (CHAI) recently released their first industry guidance on responsible AI use in the healthcare, following a similar ethical guidebook from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2024.  

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been on top of the cybersecurity angle, releasing multiple playbooks and frameworks on how to counter AI threats that can lead to cybersecurity events. 

On the vendor side, August saw a high-profile pledge from some of the largest Big Tech companies leading the formation of the AI ecosystem, including Amazon, Anthropic, Apple, Google, and OpenAI, to continue working together on data interoperability and other foundational aspects of an open, accessible, and trustworthy AI landscape. 

With the addition of the AMA’s new advocacy effort around physician involvement in these and other activities related to AI implementation, the healthcare industry could be in a promising position to foster next-generation infrastructure that is responsible, ethical, safe, and governance-led while incorporating vital perspectives from the clinical front lines. 

Jennifer Bresnick is a journalist and freelance content creator with a decade of experience in the health IT industry.  Her work has focused on leveraging innovative technology tools to create value, improve health equity, and achieve the promises of the learning health system.  She can be reached at [email protected].