"While we support the legislative mandate to explore AI implementation, we also have a stewardship to protect Utah citizens," the state medical professional licensing board wrote in a late-month letter urging the pilot’s end.
Utah pilot with Doctronic began in January and covers 190 medications
In January the state launched a pilot program with Doctronic, a New York–based telehealth company that markets itself as an "AI doctor." Utah officials describe the project as "a first of its kind" in the U.S. and say the platform can legally renew 190 common medications used to treat chronic conditions. State officials framed the effort as a demonstration that "safe, well-regulated AI" can improve medication adherence, prevent hospital visits and reduce healthcare spending while keeping "clinicians at the center of care."
State Medical Licensing Board calls for termination over patient-safety concerns
The Utah medical professional licensing board urged the pilot be ended, saying professional reassessment is required when refilling medications so clinicians can decide whether dose or drug choice adjustments are needed and to monitor for side effects and new interactions. The board warned that "patients who continue refilling medications without assessment may remain on outdated or suboptimal therapy for months or years. There is a reason prescription refills require physician authorization," it wrote.
Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy requires human review and other guardrails
The Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy responded that the pilot addresses the board's concerns. Phase one requires "100% human physician review," meaning every AI-generated prescription renewal must be reviewed and approved by a licensed human physician before transmission to a pharmacy, the office said. Across all phases, the AI is required to conduct comprehensive clinical assessments "that mirrors human clinical decision-making, including screening for new side effects, analyzing drug interactions," state officials said.
The office also said the AI is prohibited from handling controlled substances, modifying treatment plans, or initiating new prescriptions; it "only processes 30, 60, or 90-day renewals for existing prescriptions being used to treat specific chronic conditions." Patients must be evaluated by a physician in-person or via telehealth at regular intervals, Utah officials added.
The Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy was launched in May 2024 with authorization "to create regulatory mitigation agreements to encourage beneficial and safe adoption of AI in regulated industries." The office has published "best practices" for AI in mental health therapy; Zach Boyd, director of the Utah Office of AI policy, told ISMG the guidance is "probably the most extensive authoritative guidance in the U.S. right now on mental health and AI" and that "the community has appreciated the balanced, practical approach." Boyd said no immediate changes to that guidance are expected and that the office is preparing recommendations for regulatory reforms, with initial stakeholder feedback suggesting needs for legislation around "consumer-facing healthcare information, liability, reimbursability, professional conduct rules and autonomous healthcare services."
Doctronic's patient flow and unanswered requests for details
Doctronic's website describes a patient experience that begins — and often continues — with AI chat, connecting the patient to a licensed physician "if needed," rather than starting with an actual doctor. ISMG sought comment and additional details about the Utah pilot and how the Doctronic platform works; Doctronic "did not immediately respond to multiple ISMG requests for comment and additional details about the Utah pilot and how its AI platform works," the reporting notes. Likewise, physicians who signed the licensing board's letter "did not immediately respond to ISMG's requests for comment" about the state's decision to continue the project.
What this means for patients, physicians, and policymakers
- Patients: The state emphasizes convenience and improved adherence through autonomous renewals for chronic conditions, but the licensing board warns of risks from refilling without clinician reassessment and potential for "outdated or suboptimal therapy."
- Physicians and regulators: The board is exercising stewardship rooted in clinical experience; the Office of AI Policy is enforcing phase-one human review and other guardrails while preparing possible legislative recommendations on liability, reimbursability and professional conduct.
- Privacy, security and operations professionals: Attorney Lee Kim urged robust identity authentication for both the patient (or authorized caregiver) requesting a refill and for the individual or entity authorizing it, noting the need to understand whether authorization is automated in whole or in part. Kim added that if systems are not properly designed, tested and implemented "adverse results can happen very quickly."
Utah has moved forward with a tightly constrained pilot that state officials say preserves physician oversight; the licensing board has asked for the experiment to stop on safety grounds; and Doctronic has described a patient experience that begins with AI chat. The next concrete steps are already on the record: the pilot will continue under the office's phased requirements, and the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy is preparing recommendations that could lead to legislation addressing liability, reimbursement and autonomous healthcare services.
