The American Medical Association (AMA) announced a slew of policies at its Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates.
Among the policies voted on by members included urging exemptions for upcoming Medicaid work requirements, new public health stances, additional safeguards for artificial intelligence use by health plans and more. Read on below
More oversight, transparency into how health plans use AI tools
AI was the focus of several new policies announced by the organization to address its increasing use in both clinical decision-making and health insurance coverage decisions.
One policy opposes the use of autonomous or semiautonomous AI systems as substitutes for physician review in coverage determinations, also calling for regulations that integrate AI technologies into physician-led processes. The organization also called for additional safeguards for coverage decisions to ensure they are “based on accurate, up-to-date, evidence-based medical information” and have physician review.
The AMA will also advocate for regular audits of AI-driven clinical review tools and will work with stakeholders to establish standards for evidence attribution, evaluation, transparency and more in regard to AI-enabled clinical decision support systems.
The organization says the policies establish principles that AI should serve as assistive tools, not autonomous decision makers. The AMA uses the term “augmented intelligence” when referring to AI to emphasize the technology's assistive role in medicine.
AMA CEO John Whyte, M.D., said in a statement that AI has an “enormous potential in healthcare,” but noted such tools “cannot replace physician judgment.”
“Patients deserve care decisions that are informed by the latest medical evidence and guided by a physician who understands their individual needs,” Whyte said. “Whether AI is helping a physician make a clinical decision or assisting with an insurance review, there must always be transparency, accountability, and meaningful physician oversight. Technology should support better care—not stand between patients and the care they need.”
AI has been an area of focus for the AMA in recent months, as use rapidly increases for healthcare professionals and patients alike.
In May, the organization released a comprehensive framework to protect physicians from unauthorized AI-generated deepfakes. And in April, it urged federal lawmakers to strengthen safeguards for the use of AI chatbots use in mental health.
Opposition to using ‘provider’ when describing physicians
In what it described as an effort to boost patient safety and understanding, the AMA adopted a new policy opposing the use of the term “provider” when used to include physicians.
The organization said the terminology can negatively impact patient education and awareness, transparency and the “ethical responsibilities of physicians to patient safety and professionalism.” AMA has often used similar language when advocating against what it describes as "scope creep," which it describes as "inappropriate scope-of-practice expansions threaten patient safety."
AMA already had a policy in place supporting a requirement that healthcare organizations specify the type of clinician being referred to by using recognized titles, which extends to state and federal health system reform.
According to a statement, AMA delegates also voted to advance protections of patient-physician relationships by urging the organization to “take further advocacy actions to implement Policy H-405.968, which prioritizes the use of the term ‘physician’ when discussing those with an M.D. or D.O.”
Opposition to flavored electronic nicotine products
The organization announced a variety of public health policies aimed at improving national health, including an opposition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s decision to authorize electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products.
Through the policy, the organization will do the following, among other things:
- Continue to oppose ENDS products authorization with characterizing flavors, including candy, fruit, dessert and menthol flavors
- Advocate that any ENDS product considered for authorization be required to share data to prove the effectiveness and durability of age-verification methods
- Advocate that the FDA establish and maintain a “high proof of effectiveness and durability threshold” for age-verification systems for such products to prevent youth access
- Advocate for prohibiting flavored cannabis vaping products in regulated dispensaries, hemp product retailers and other sources—and to pursue legislative changes for a nationwide ban
Opposition to corporate medicine practices
The organization also adopted a “sweeping policy” aimed at refining its longstanding opposition to corporate medicine practices, in what it says is some of the “most specific AMA guidance to date.”
"The House of Delegates has taken a bold step to protect the integrity of the patient-physician relationship and ensure that medical decisions remain in the hands of physicians rather than corporate interests," said Marta Van Beek, M.D., AMA Board of Trustees member, in a statement.
Key facets of the policy, which builds on existing AMA guidance, include:
- Affirming AMA support for physician ownership, governance and independent judgment
- Opposing specific corporate ownership structures and contractual arrangements that could permit non-licensed entities to have control over medical practices
- Identifying certain contractual mechanisms that could enable non-licensed entities to “exert direct or de facto control” over medical practices
- Supporting greater transparency around physician practice ownership, governance structures, management agreements and contractual control rights
Wildfire protection standards for firefighters, affected individuals and communities
Another policy supports the development and implementation of voluntary post-wildfire screening protocols for affected individuals and communities. Screenings are urged to include heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other air pollutants and toxic substances.
The organization will also advocate for evidence-based respiratory protection standards for wildland firefighters and easy access to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved respiratory protection devices.
New president-elect
The physician organization named Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, M.D., as its next president-elect. The appointment comes as the current president-elect, Willie Underwood III, M.D., takes the role of outgoing president Bobby Mukkamala, M.D.
The AMA's members elect presidents for one-year terms that turn over every June during its annual meeting.