Skip to content
For physicians, checked against the sources
Section

AI & Innovation

What is real, what is hype, and what will actually change your Tuesday clinic.

More in AI & Innovation

FDA Finalizes Guidance on Prescription Drug Apps. Some Apps Now Belong in the Prescribing Information.

Final guidance released Oct. 20 and noticed in the Federal Register Oct. 21 says device-connected apps should generally be described in a drug's prescribing information, while most companion-app content will be treated as promotional labeling.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 21, 2026

A Lancet Study Put an AI Chatbot Ahead of Urgent Primary Care Visits. It Shows Safety in 98 Patients, Not Better Outcomes.

In a Beth Israel Deaconess feasibility study funded by Alphabet, Google's AMIE interviewed patients before visits while a physician watched. No conversation needed a safety stop, but the study did not test whether care improved.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 15, 2026

An FDA Warning Letter Says a New AI Model or a Move to the Web Can Require a New 510(k). Ask Your Vendors What Changed.

In a Sept. 1 warning letter, the Food and Drug Administration said a new machine-learning model, a move to a web platform and a platform migration each required a new 510(k) for a CT vertebral fracture tool. Practices should ask whether each vendor update still matches its clearance.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 12, 2026

FDA Wants Clinician Feedback on How to Regulate Generative AI Devices. Comments Close Oct. 19.

FDA's Aug. 18 discussion paper floats a two-axis risk framework, competency-based premarket testing and clinician review after launch for generative AI devices. It is not guidance. Docket FDA-2026-N-7874 closes Oct. 19, and clinicians are among those FDA invited to respond.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 12, 2026

FDA Has Drafted What It Wants to See Before Clearing a Surgical Robot. Comments Close Nov. 24.

A 50-page draft guidance on robotically-assisted surgical devices sets out nine clinical endpoints, validated training for the whole OR team and new labeling on learning curves. It is not final, and comments on docket FDA-2026-N-9505 are due Nov. 24.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 12, 2026

The FDA Approves the First Pulmonary Valve Built to Grow With a Child

The Autus Size-Adjustable Valve can be widened by balloon catheter as a child grows, and it is the first valve approved in the U.S. with polymer leaflets. The goal is fewer open-heart operations, though the long-term data are still coming.

By The Script Pad StaffOct. 4, 2026

When Patients Arrive With Chatbot Answers

More patients are consulting AI before they consult you. How to turn that into a better visit rather than a debate.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 26, 2026

What an AI Scribe Actually Changes About Your Day

Ambient documentation promises to give physicians their evenings back. The early adopters say the real change is subtler, and the risks are in places most buyers are not looking.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 26, 2026

A Physician's Checklist for Evaluating Any AI Tool

Before the pilot, ask these questions about data, validation, workflow, and liability.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 23, 2026

Who Is Accountable for a Note an Ambient Scribe Drafted

Ambient documentation tools are spreading faster than the policies meant to govern them. Groups need clear rules on consent, review, retention, and error reporting before scale, not after.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 20, 2026

What Radiology and Pathology Have Learned About Living With AI

Imaging and pathology adopted clinical AI earlier than most of medicine. Their experience offers practical lessons on worklists, validation, and the limits of algorithmic triage for every specialty.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 17, 2026

Can AI Actually Tame the Patient Message Inbox?

Patient portal messages have become a second, unscheduled clinic. AI triage and drafting tools can help, but only if practices redesign the workflow around them rather than bolt them on.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 15, 2026

Remote Patient Monitoring Only Works if Someone Is Watching

Connected devices can extend care between visits, but many programs stall on alert fatigue, staffing gaps, and unclear ownership. Build the response workflow before you order the devices.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 13, 2026

The First Hours After Ransomware Hits Your Practice

Cyberattacks on health care organizations now disrupt care, not just computers. Physicians need a downtime plan that has been practiced, printed, and understood before the screens go dark.

By Marcus BellSept. 10, 2026

Before You Say Yes to the Startup Pitching Your Group

Young health technology companies court physician groups for pilots, data, and credibility. A careful evaluation of the business, not just the product, protects your patients and your name.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 8, 2026

The Digital Front Door Is Only as Good as the Hallway Behind It

Online scheduling, chat, and intake tools promise easier access for patients. Without matching changes in staffing, templates, and follow through, they simply move frustration to a new screen.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 6, 2026

What Physicians Should Know About AI Reviewing Their Prior Authorizations

Payers and practices are both deploying algorithms in prior authorization and claims review. Understanding what those systems see, and what they miss, changes how you document and appeal.

By The Script Pad StaffSept. 3, 2026

Across The Script Pad

Home →