Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), a prominent health system in New Jersey, has made history by becoming the first organization to receive the Joint Commission's certification for the responsible application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. This certification, introduced by the Joint Commission in June, aims to recognize healthcare organizations across the United States that demonstrate proper governance, resources, policies, and educational programs focused on the safe and effective use of AI technologies.
Dr. Lauren Koniaris, the chief medical informatics officer at HMH, explained that the organization has been diligently refining its AI systems for several years. “As we expand our clinical AI initiatives, we prioritize robust governance to ensure that patient quality and safety remain paramount,” she stated.
The certification process assessed HMH's AI governance and oversight systems, which proved their effectiveness when the organization applied for the Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare certification.
This voluntary certification fulfills a commitment made by the Joint Commission in 2025 when it formed a strategic partnership with the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) to develop guidelines for healthcare systems to effectively implement AI technologies while prioritizing patient safety.
A March survey from the American Medical Association revealed that over 80% of physicians are using AI in their professional practices, a figure that has significantly increased since 2023. Conversely, only 27% of clinicians reported understanding how their organizations are managing AI governance, according to a report by Wolters Kluwer.
Amidst the rapid pace of AI adoption, private consortiums are actively working to establish industry standards, particularly as federal regulation has yet to catch up. In May, CHAI published a series of playbooks focused on AI governance, which the Joint Commission utilized to craft the RUAIH certification.
Organizations seeking the certification incur a fee determined by their type and size, and it encompasses five key areas: governance, risk and bias mitigation, effective data management, monitoring and validating safety and efficacy, and education and training.
The certification process for HMH took a mere three weeks, but the health system had been using its internal governance framework for responsible AI for four years, according to Koniaris. HMH has launched various AI initiatives across its 18 hospitals and numerous care locations. These initiatives range from utilizing AI chatbot assistants on healthcare provider websites to testing predictive analytics technology to enhance hospice transitions and adopting models capable of identifying heart disease. HMH is committed to the ongoing development of its AI capabilities.
“We have a dedicated team assessing various options — including third-party vendor screening tools — aimed specifically at alleviating administrative pressures so that our clinicians can concentrate on patient care,” said Koniaris.
Koniaris emphasized that all prospective AI tools are evaluated against HMH's seven governance pillars before being deployed in clinical settings.
Brian Anderson, president and CEO of CHAI, remarked that HMH’s certification represents an “exciting milestone” and signifies an important advancement toward integrating responsible AI governance into healthcare practices. He mentioned that many of CHAI’s member health systems are preparing to pursue similar certifications as this initiative gains traction.
