As hospitals and health systems continue to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI), establishing clear expectations for its responsible use is becoming increasingly important.
To assist organizations at every stage of their AI journey, the Kansas Health Institute (KHI), with support from Healthworks, has developed two complementary resources:
The AI Use Policy Template for Hospitals: Core Policy + Add-On Modules (hereafter, the AI Use Policy Template) provides hospitals with a ready-to-complete AI use policy organized into clearly labeled sections with checkboxes and fillable fields. It guides organizations through defining how AI will be used, who the policy applies to and how to address allowable and prohibited uses using a risk-based framework. In this context, artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems and technologies — ranging from predictive analytics to generative tools — that process data to perform tasks such as analyzing information, generating text or images, or supporting decisions and recommendations that would otherwise require human judgment. The AI Use Policy Template is intended as a starting point and should be adapted to reflect your organization’s specific context, needs and applicable laws.
The AI Use Policy Template is accompanied by the Companion to the AI Use Policy Template for Hospitals: Section-by-Section Guide (hereafter, the Companion Guide). The Companion Guide provides detailed instruction for completing the policy and explains the purpose of each section, why it matters and considerations for selecting among the available options. Together, the AI Use Policy Template and the Companion Guide are designed to support hospitals and health systems of varying sizes, capacities and levels of AI experience.
The AI Use Policy Template also supports rural proofing: throughout the document, specific checkboxes, fields and columns are included to capture rural-specific realities such as staffing constraints, limited broadband, smaller data volumes and greater distance to services. This allows hospitals to reflect their own rural conditions directly within the policy.
The AI Use Policy Template is divided into two parts:
The AI Use Policy Template uses a risk-based framework as the governing structure for all AI use. The add-on modules do not replace that framework. Instead, they provide additional requirements for selected AI use cases that may require more specific safeguards, documentation, oversight or operational guidance. Hospitals should include only the modules that apply to their current or planned AI tools.
The AI Use Policy Template is accompanied by the Companion to the AI Use Policy Template for Hospitals (the Companion Guide). Open the Companion Guide alongside the AI Use Policy Template and place the two documents next to each other. Refer to the Companion Guide as you work through each section to understand its purpose and the considerations behind each available option.
Review each module below. Check the box in the AI Use Policy Template if your hospital currently uses — or plans to use within 12 months — any of the described tools.
The AI Use Policy Template is organized as a series of bullet points with fillable checkboxes; check the boxes that apply to your hospital as you go. As you make decisions about which options to select, consider your hospital’s needs, capacity, operational practices and other relevant factors. Use your completed selections as the foundation for writing your policy.
Your final policy document consists of:
Work through Part 1 and each selected module, filling in all shaded blue fields and making checkbox selections.
The AI Use Policy Template and the Companion Guide were developed by the Kansas Health Institute. Funding to support the development of these resources was provided by Healthworks.
The development of these resources built upon work previously completed by KHI through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant (OE22-2203). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.
The Kansas Health Institute supports effective policymaking through nonpartisan research, education and engagement. KHI believes evidence-based information, objective analysis and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to be champions for a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka.
Healthworks serves as the nonprofit arm of the Kansas Hospital Association. Healthworks educates partners, brings groups together and finds funding to provide services to change health care for the better. Healthworks believes with bold ideas and brave leadership, anything is possible.
This AI Use Policy Template is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not a substitute for consultation with legal counsel or other qualified professionals. Hospitals should consult their own legal and other advisors before adopting or implementing an artificial intelligence use policy and should adapt this AI Use Policy Template to meet the needs of their individual organization.
Because AI technologies, regulations and best practices continue to evolve, hospitals should regularly review and update their policies to ensure ongoing relevance and compliance. The authors make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the content of this AI Use Policy Template. Links to third-party content are provided for reference only, and the authors do not guarantee the accuracy or reliability of information provided by third parties.
The Kansas Health Institute supports effective policymaking through nonpartisan research, education and engagement. KHI believes evidence-based information, objective analysis and civil dialogue enable policy leaders to be champions for a healthier Kansas. Established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation, KHI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization based in Topeka.
