AMA sets guardrails on physician health data to curb burnout

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The American Medical Association (AMA) has approved a new policy to regulate how personal and biological data from physicians can be collected and used in efforts to address professional burnout. The move, adopted Monday at the AMA House of Delegates' meeting in Chicago, comes amid growing concern that data-driven wellness initiatives may expose physicians to privacy violations, retaliation or misuse.

“The management of such sensitive information raises significant privacy, security and ethical concerns that should be carefully addressed to ensure the rights and interests of individuals are protected,” said AMA Board Member David J. Welsh, M.D., MBA, in a statement.

A data-driven dilemma

While many health systems are turning to biometric and behavioral data to monitor clinician stress, the AMA emphasized that these efforts must be guided by clear ethical boundaries.

“Individual health history and biological data can provide valuable insights into physical and mental health,” Welsh said. “The collection and use of this data offers the possibility of supporting the wellbeing of health care professionals, including early identification of burnout and developing prevention strategies, so they can best care for patients.”

The new guardrails were designed to ensure physician participation is voluntary, limited in scope and centered solely on reducing burnout and improving working conditions.

In a report, the AMA Board of Trustees notes that “the collection and use of physicians’ personal health information and/or biological data has the potential to help reduce burnout and improve physician well-being; however, the practice also creates several ethical dilemmas and should not be viewed as a panacea.”

The policy: Key safeguards

Delegates approved the following new criteria outlining when and how physician data can be collected and used. The guardrails emphasize transparency, consent and limited use to burnout reduction efforts:

• Only data relevant to the development of burnout-reduction interventions may be collected.
• Physicians must be informed whether their data is directly or indirectly identifiable.
• Participation must be opt-in, with the ability to withdraw at any time without penalty or coercion.
• Informed consent is required prior to data acquisition.
• Collected data must be used solely to improve working conditions, not for punitive or performance evaluation purposes.
• Entities must maintain transparent policies for secure data storage and deletion timelines.

The policy also explicitly prohibits any use of health data that could perpetuate bias or be used in a retaliatory fashion.

Find the official AMA guardrails for the collection of physician data here.

The AMA has worked to combat physician burnout for several years. Since 2012, the organization has championed systemic changes over individual resilience-based approaches, arguing that workplace reforms — not wellness slogans — are the most effective antidote to burnout.

This latest policy adds a critical layer of protection for physicians, particularly as digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms begin playing a greater role in clinician well-being programs.

The AMA House of Delegates' meeting continues through June 11.