Brian Smith, chief pharmacy officer at Shields Health Services, says that, while automation and AI can speed up the prior authorization process, patients may face other barriers to care that require human intervention.

Policy Influencer Changemaker awardee Brett Meeks of Jeffrey J. Kimbell & Associates recommends that healthcare IT newcomers be open to change as AI and other technologies continue to develop.

The American Medical Association sent coordinated letters to House and Senate members raising concerns about chatbots pertaining to patient safety and public health.

The pair will integrate real-time diagnostic data into marketing workflows, with the aim of helping pharmaceutical companies target clinicians at treatment decision moments.

Ambient AI relieves clinicians' cognitive burden by capturing visits and drafting patient notes so they can be fully present in the encounter and patients feel seen and heard, says Matt Troup, clinical strategy principal at Abridge.

HIMSS26 Policy Influencer Changemaker Award recipient Gayle Harrell, Florida state senator, emphasizes that regulations on AI and other digital technology need to ensure that decision-making power remains with clinicians.