What We're Reading

Health Policy Journal Club, March 2026

The health policy journal club is an interdisciplinary, inter-professional group convened monthly by the Farley Health Policy Center to discuss timely topics in health policy. A curated selection of high-yield articles provides the basis for discussion. Past topics have included income inequality and health, professionalism in medicine, patients as consumers, and adjusting payment for measures of social risk. This page presents the reading list from the most recent journal club.

This month’s discussion examined how artificial intelligence is reshaping clinical work, diagnostic reasoning, patient experience, and regulatory expectations. We explored the balance between AI‑enabled efficiency and the added cognitive burden on clinicians, as well as the ethical and practical challenges of integrating large language models into care. Participants also reviewed the broader policy landscape, including emerging federal and state approaches to responsible AI oversight, the environmental implications of expanding AI infrastructure, and concerns related to equity, access, and potential widening of existing health disparities.

AI and Critical Thinking/Productivity Expectations

Ranganathan, A.; Ye, X. AI Doesn’t Reduce Work – It intensifies it. February 9, 2026. Harvard Business Review.

Gerlich, M. AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking. January 3, 2025. Societies.

AI in Healthcare

Rosenbaum, L. Can AI solve Primary Care - NOS-Episode 3.2. October 22, 2025. NEJM.

Rosenbluth, T.; Astor, M. Empathetic, Available, Cheap: When AI Offers What Doctors Don’t. November 17, 2025. New York Times.

AI Performance in Healthcare

Rajpurkar, P.; Topol, E. The Robot Doctor will see you now. February 2, 2025. New York Times.  

Goh E, Gallo R, Hom J, et al. Large Language Model Influence on Diagnostic Reasoning: A Randomized Clinical Trial. October 28,2024. JAMA Network Open.

Commentary on Regulation & Climate Impact

Palmieri, S.; Robertson, C.; Cohen, G. New Guidance on Responsible Use of AI. December 3, 2025. JAMA.

Kerkhoff, G.; Kirkk, M.; Loughry, L. Colorado if feeling the effects of AI as legislative deadlock over regulation continues. December 29, 2025. Colorado Sun.

UN Environment Programme. AI has an environmental problem. Here’s what the world can do about that. November 13, 2025.