AI should never be relied on for diagnostic decisions, AMA warns patients
Artificial intelligence should never be relied on for diagnosis and treatment decisions, the American Medical Association warned patients on Wednesday.
The nation’s largest doc advocacy group made the declaration in a new practice management tool aimed at the growing use of chatbots. AMA noted that patients are increasingly asking augmented intelligence for clinical guidance.
To counter, physicians are calling on federal lawmakers to create stronger safeguards, ensuring AI tools are not used to supplant physicians.
“As technology evolves, it’s vital that patients use AI to complement—not replace—the advice of their doctors,” AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH,” said in a statement May 20. “Safe and informed use of AI helps patients make smarter health decisions, but medical expertise remains irreplaceable,” he added later.
The AMA offered five recommended AI prompts to share with patients asking questions about chatbots and other such aids:
- Use AI to explore possibilities, not to be your doctor: “I have these symptoms [description]. What are common causes, how do they differ and what details would help narrow them down?”
- Simplify information: “Explain this to me in simple words: [medical term, doctor’s diagnosis or instructions].”
- Add relevant context: “Given my situation [my age and gender, lifestyle, goals, etc.] what do I need to know?”
- Know your options: “What are the different ways to treat [diagnosis name] and what are the benefits, risks and side effects of each?”
- Prepare for your visit: “What questions should I ask my doctor to better understand this situation?”
“The AMA cautions that AI tools should never be used in emergencies or relied on for diagnosis and treatment decisions. Patients should protect their privacy and use AI chatbots only to supplement—not substitute—the expertise of their doctor,” the announcement concluded.
While the AMA calls on the feds to address chatbot use and patient safety concerns, states are separately taking their own action. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer recently signed House Bill 191 into law, blocking AI agents from presenting themselves as providers. The bill explicitly bars AI from using protected titles and abbreviations such as doctor, physician, MD or DO, the American College of Radiology reported in an April 30 news update.
“For ACR members, the measure supports clear title protection as AI tools spread in healthcare and strengthens the case for similar safeguards in other states,” the college said.
Other states also have taken similar steps, ACR added, including Oregon, which is barring certain nonhuman AI entities from using some nursing titles. Washington state also recently legislated that only a human can hold degree designations such as RN, ARNP or LPN. California, meanwhile, enacted its own measure last year letting the state enforce title-protection laws against developers or users of AI systems.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.