AMA calls for expert clinical oversight of the use of AI in healthcare

AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said AI had gained significant momentum over the past decade, promising to revolutionise medical practice and transform patient outcomes. However, she cautioned healthcare was a high-risk sector requiring tailored oversight. 

“AI is a rapidly evolving field, which has real potential to enhance and save lives,” Dr McMullen said. 

“But the sector must establish robust and effective frameworks to manage risks, protect patient safety, and ensure the privacy of all involved. 

“Any use of AI in healthcare must be clinically led, ethical, safe, and patient-centred, with its sole purpose being to advance the health and wellbeing of patients and the broader community.” 

The AMA has released a new report examining the development and implementation of AI in healthcare, highlighting both the opportunities and the risks. 

“While AI has the potential to transform Australian healthcare and research, it also introduces new risks for patients and the medical profession if it is implemented without robust safeguards,” Dr McMullen said. 

“In such a rapidly changing environment, the development and implementation of AI must be undertaken with appropriate consultation, transparency, and accountability. 

“Regular, ongoing review is essential to assess its clinical and social impact to ensure it benefits — not harms — patients, healthcare professionals, and the wider community.” 

The AMA supports regulatory measures that protect patients, consumers, healthcare professionals, and their data. It insists AI must remain a complementary tool — never a replacement for clinical judgement. 

“The health interests of patients and the community must be the primary, guiding focus,” Dr McMullen said. 

“AI should always serve as a supporting tool and must never compromise a medical practitioner’s clinical independence or professional autonomy. 

“Accountability must remain with the clinician or clinical team and ethical considerations — such as patient privacy and surveillance, bias and discrimination, and the philosophical challenge of human judgement versus AI systems — must be thoroughly addressed. 

“This is why we need a dedicated group of health experts to provide clinical leadership and guidance on the regulation of artificial intelligence in healthcare. 

“The final decision on patient care should always be made by a human.”