ATA AND ATA ACTION LAUNCH MEMBER-DRIVEN POLICY INITIATIVE TO SHAPE RESPONSIBLE AI GOVERNANCE IN VIRTUAL CARE

WASHINGTON, DC, JULY 31, 20206 – The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and ATA Action, the ATA’s affiliated advocacy organization focused on shaping virtual care policy, today announced the new AI in Virtual Care Policy Initiative, a member-driven effort to help shape the policies, regulations, and frameworks that will govern the use of AI in virtual care delivery. Outcomes will be presented in December at the ATA EDGE Policy Conference and will help set the direction for ATA Action’s advocacy priorities in 2027.

AI is rapidly expanding what virtual care can deliver—helping clinicians work more effectively, extending access, improving patient experiences, and enabling more personalized and scalable models of care. To help realize that potential, ATA and ATA Action are convening their members in dedicated working groups to develop practical, technology-informed policy recommendations that support innovation, strengthen patient trust, provide clarity for care teams and innovators, and avoid a fragmented patchwork of federal and state requirements that could slow the responsible adoption of AI-enabled virtual care.

“The public policy decisions being made today will shape how AI is used in virtual care for years to come,” said Kyle Zebley, CEO of the ATA and Executive Director, ATA Action. “This initiative ensures that the people closest to delivering and enabling virtual care – our members – have a direct hand in building the policy frameworks that will govern AI’s role in virtual care delivery.”

The initiative includes three working groups, each focusing on a distinct policy landscape:

State AI Policy: Creating a Practical Roadmap for State Lawmakers and Regulators

Work Group Chair: Sam Pinson, Esq., Healthcare Innovation Counsel, Nixon Law Group

This work group will develop model policy recommendations for the use of AI in virtual care, including clinician oversight, transparency, liability, patient consent, validation standards, and regulatory approaches that support innovation without creating a patchwork of state requirements.

Federal Legislative Approaches to AI and Virtual Care: Shaping the Federal Policy Agenda

Work Group Chair: Matthew Anderson, MD, MBA, CPE, Chief Medical Information Officer, Honor Health

This work group will develop recommendations for Congress on AI-enabled virtual care, reimbursement, access, infrastructure, clinical validation, and national standards that support responsible adoption at scale.

Federal Agency and Public Policy Framework for AI-Enabled Virtual Care: Influencing How Federal Agencies Approach AI in Virtual Care

Work Group Chair: Abigail Crawford, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, FNP-BC, Chief Advanced Practice Provider for Pediatric Telemedicine, WVU Medicine Children’s
This working group will focus on federal guidance and policy affecting the use of AI in virtual care, including transparency, trust, clinical workflow integration, reimbursement alignment, privacy, data quality, and appropriate regulatory oversight.

“These work groups will collaborate closely with the ATA Policy Council, which sets the policy vision for both the ATA and ATA Action, to create well-informed recommendations relevant to our broad virtual care community,” Zebley added. “The specific outcomes developed by these work groups will help establish the advocacy priorities for ATA Action in 2027 so that we can hit the ground running. ATA Action has developed excellent relationships with federal and state policymakers, and we look forward to working in sync with these decision-makers to advance appropriate legislative frameworks for AI in virtual care delivery.”

About the ATA

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA), the definitive voice for virtual care, is the industry’s trusted community focused on expanding access to healthcare through innovation by advancing education, resources, and policy. Founded in 1993, the ATA represents the most diverse ecosystem in healthcare – including leading health systems, academic medical centers, payers, technology innovators, life sciences companies, and clinician leaders – the ATA delivers clinical standards, policy leadership, education, and evidence frameworks that accelerate high-quality, technology-enabled care.

About ATA Action

ATA Action expands and protects how virtual care is legislated and regulated at all levels of government. Founded in 2022, ATA Action works collaboratively with federal and state legislators and policymakers to influence legislative and regulatory developments in virtual care, digital health, remote patient monitoring, AI in healthcare, health data privacy, private sector healthcare investment, and more. ATA Action represents hospital systems, technology companies, professional associations, direct-to-consumer digital health providers, payers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, digital therapeutics developers, and remote monitoring organizations, and facilitates member-led coalitions focused on initiatives to advance AI in Virtual Care Policy and Cross State Care. ATA Action is a registered 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade organization engaged in lobbying efforts to shape industry-related legislation and serves as an affiliated trade association of the ATA, a 501(c)(3) entity recognized for its leadership in advancing innovation and leading transformation in virtual care.