AI and the Transformation of Healthcare: From Novelty to Normalcy – 2026 MMS Annual Education Program
Just three years after ChatGPT's launch, healthcare has emerged as a surprising early adopter of AI. Dr. Wachter, chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine and author of a new book on AI and healthcare, will examine whether this technology will finally
deliver on medicine's long-promised digital transformation. While acknowledging traditional concerns like hallucinations and bias, he’ll argue that there are grounds for informed optimism on the part of both patients and physicians. He’ll also wrestle
with some of the vexing questions raised by AI: how automation quietly erodes the skills of clinicians who rely on it, why the "human in the loop" is less reassuring than it sounds, and what it actually takes to restructure a healthcare organization
around AI's possibilities.
Faculty
Robert M. Wachter, MD
Robert M. Wachter, MD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Author of 300 articles and 6 books, he coined the term “hospitalist”
in 1996 and is often considered the “father” of the hospitalist field, the fastest-growing medical specialty in U.S. history. He is a past president of the Society of Hospital Medicine, past chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a Master
of the American College of Physicians, and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. In 2004, he received the John M. Eisenberg Award, the nation’s top honor in patient safety. Modern Healthcare magazine has ranked him among the 50 most
influential physician-executives in the U.S. more than a dozen times; he was #1 on the list in 2015. His 2015 book, The Digital Doctor: Hope, Hype and Harm at the Dawn of Medicine’s Computer Age, was a New York Times bestseller. His new book, A Giant
Leap: How AI is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future, was an instant Amazon and USA Today national bestseller.
Intended Audience
Primary care providers and other health care professionals.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- Highlight 2-3 areas in which artificial intelligence is likely to make a difference in healthcare.
- Describe the challenges with the “human in the loop” paradigm for oversight of AI in healthcare.
- Enumerate some of the key business and clinical issues that will determine the success and impact of AI in healthcare.
Accreditation & Credit Information
Accreditation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA Credit Designation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation
in the activity.
National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA)
Physician Assistants may claim a maximum of 1.00 Category 1 credit for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited
by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.
Course Fees:
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Member: $40.00
MMS Resident/Student Member: FREE
Non-Member Physician: $90.00
Non-Members Resident/Student: $20.00
Allied Health Professional/Other: $32.00
Activity Term:
Original Release Date: May XX, 2026
Review Date(s): N/A
Termination Date: May XX, 2029
Exam/Assessment: A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
Format and Estimated Time to Complete: Video recording / 1 hour
System Requirements
Desktops/Laptops
Windows 10
Mac OSX 10.6 higher
Most modern browsers including
IE 11+
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome latest version
Safari 12+
Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 10 or higher (includes, iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices)
Policies
Copyright Policy
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
Contact us at nejmcust@mms.org or (800) 843-6356. Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02451.
