AI in Healthcare: What Physicians Need to Know About Clinical Care, Patients, and Health Systems
As reported by the American Medical Association, at the 2026 Becker’s Annual Meeting, physician leaders from Kaiser Permanente, Sanford Health, Lee Health, and other major systems shared a common message: the future of healthcare depends less on technology itself and more on how it is used to improve patient outcomes, access, affordability, and the clinician experience.
Toplines from the meeting:
- Leaders emphasized a shift from volume-based care to value-based, preventive care, using AI, predictive analytics and digital tools to identify risks earlier and connect patients with appropriate services.
- AI was widely viewed as a means to augment, not replace, physicians, with a focus on reducing administrative burden, supporting clinical decision-making and strengthening patient-physician relationships.
- Speakers stressed the need for healthcare organizations to become “AI-native,” embedding innovation, data literacy and change management into leadership and daily operations.
- They also cautioned against using AI to automate flawed processes, advocating instead for a problem-first approach that prioritizes measurable clinical, operational, and financial value while preserving the human elements of trust, empathy, and patient-centered care.
Healthcare’s future will be defined not by AI alone, but by how effectively health systems combine technology, clinical expertise, and leadership to deliver more proactive, connected, sustainable care.
The rise of Dr. Chatbot
Patients are increasingly using AI chatbots to interpret lab and imaging results before consulting physicians, raising concerns about inaccurate interpretations, inappropriate treatment decisions and privacy.
A 2026 KFF poll found about one-third of adults use chatbots for health advice and 19% for interpreting tests. OpenAI reports over 300 million weekly health-related ChatGPT queries. Clinicians report patients citing AI to justify stopping medications or questioning vaccines.
Experts caution that chatbots may lack the clinical context needed for accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Healthcare professionals should recognize the growing influence of AI-generated health information and proactively address its limitations, risks, and privacy implications.
What the WSMA is doing
AI in healthcare continues to be top of mind at the WSMA. WSMA’s AI in Healthcare Workgroup is working on reviewing a new Washington Medical Commission interpretive statement and policy on AI in medicine and has significant concerns. Working with WSMA staff, the workgroup will share its concerns in an official comment letter to the commission and will share with members when available. We’ll continue to share updates on the commission’s process and opportunities for comment.