Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping healthcare, offering innovative tools for clinical decision-making, patient monitoring and operational efficiency. However, its safe and equitable integration remains a critical challenge. Addressing this need, The Joint Commission—an independent, nonprofit body that accredits and certifies over 23,000 healthcare organisations in the United States—and the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and nationwide adoption of AI guidance across the healthcare sector. With a combined reach encompassing more than 80 percent of U.S. healthcare organisations and programmes, the initiative aims to deliver consistent, evidence-based standards for responsible AI use that prioritises safety, trust and improved outcomes.
Developing Tools for Safe and Effective AI Integration
The partnership between The Joint Commission and CHAI is built on a shared commitment to fostering reliable and ethical uses of AI in clinical practice. Together, the two organisations will co-create a comprehensive suite of resources—including AI playbooks, implementation tools and a formal certification programme—anchored in The Joint Commission’s longstanding framework for quality and safety. These tools are designed to guide health systems through the complex task of embedding AI technologies into their operations while upholding patient care standards.
This initiative responds to a growing urgency for practical, consensus-driven frameworks as AI adoption accelerates. Structured guidance is becoming essential, with nearly half of U.S. healthcare organisations already exploring or implementing generative AI. The forthcoming playbooks and certifications will support organisations, ensuring that AI deployment aligns with clinical goals and ethical principles. The tools are also intended to enhance understanding and confidence among clinicians, administrators and patients.
Scaling Adoption Through Broad Sector Collaboration
What distinguishes this partnership is its reach and inclusivity. CHAI brings to the collaboration a network of over 3,000 member organisations, spanning academic medical centres, community hospitals, healthcare start-ups, government agencies and advocacy groups. This diverse ecosystem is central to CHAI’s mission of building the broadest possible consensus on trustworthy health AI. It ensures that guidance is not only informed by expert knowledge but also sensitive to the needs of various healthcare environments, including those with limited resources.
The Joint Commission’s involvement guarantees that the resulting standards will be practical, scalable and integrated into the existing quality infrastructure of American healthcare. As the accreditor of over 23,000 healthcare organisations and programmes, its platform serves as a powerful conduit for implementation. Together, the partners aim to ensure that AI best practices are embedded across different care settings, populations and geographies, reducing disparities in access to quality innovation.
Must Read: Unlocking Innovation: AI Regulatory Sandboxes Across the EU
The partnership supports a model of AI deployment that benefits all stakeholders by focusing on shared governance, transparency and ongoing evaluation. It positions AI not as a disruptive force but as a tool for systemic improvement when governed by clearly defined principles and rigorous oversight.
Laying the Groundwork for Long-term Transformation
While the immediate focus is on issuing the first guidance in autumn 2025 and rolling out certification programmes thereafter, the implications of this alliance extend well beyond the initial deliverables. The collaboration signals a shift toward a more unified and proactive approach to AI in healthcare. Instead of fragmented experimentation, the sector is moving toward harmonised practices that support sustainable growth, foster innovation and mitigate risk.
In particular, the certification programme is set to play a pivotal role in formalising trust in AI systems. By establishing clear criteria for safety, performance and ethical alignment, it will give providers a measurable framework to evaluate and improve their AI implementations. It also provides patients, clinicians and administrators with a reliable benchmark to distinguish responsible AI use from unregulated experimentation.
The effort also contributes to building public trust. With AI technologies increasingly affecting diagnosis, treatment and care delivery, patients must feel confident that their health systems are guided by well-defined safeguards. This transparency will be essential for long-term acceptance and integration of AI, especially in high-stakes clinical environments.
The partnership between The Joint Commission and the Coalition for Health AI marks a defining moment in the evolution of digital health. It provides the healthcare sector with a much-needed framework for responsible and inclusive AI adoption by combining regulatory authority with community-led consensus. Through tools, playbooks and certification pathways, the initiative offers a blueprint for navigating the opportunities and risks of AI with clarity and purpose. This collaboration stands to ensure that technological innovation advances in lockstep with safety, equity and trust.
Source: The Joint Commission
Image Credit: iStock
