In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare technology, JMIR Publications has announced a call for submissions to a thematic issue in the Journal of Medical Internet Research that addresses the complexities of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) within health systems. Titled “Navigating AI-Enabled Uncertainty – Strategic Implications for Digital Health Management,” this initiative seeks to explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities presented by AI’s growing role in healthcare administration, decision-making, and delivery.
Healthcare administrators today face an unprecedented level of ambiguity as AI technologies permeate fundamental aspects of their operations, including reimbursement schemes, clinical documentation workflows, workforce planning, and vendor ecosystems. Increasingly, predictive AI tools are integrated into insurance decision-making, raising critical issues regarding the balance between clinical judgment and financially driven algorithms. These technologies not only automate procedures but also embed complex financial calculations, creating tension between efficacy, transparency, and ethical care provision.
The transition of electronic health records (EHR) systems to cloud-based infrastructures exemplifies another domain where AI-driven complexity is reframing healthcare IT strategies. Hospitals report enhanced scalability and system reliability when migrating to public cloud services, yet they simultaneously grapple with a shortage of specialized cloud expertise. The dependence on third-party consultants reflects an ongoing talent realignment challenge, as internal capabilities lag behind the accelerating pace of technological change, raising governance and strategic coordination dilemmas at the executive level.
Furthermore, the ambient clinical documentation market is evolving rapidly toward commoditization, dominated by a few influential players such as Epic and Microsoft. These incumbents leverage platform moats, creating high barriers to entry for smaller AI startups eager to innovate within healthcare infrastructure. This consolidation underlines the critical need to understand vendor dynamics and their strategic implications for digital health governance, competition, and innovation sustainability.
Effective leadership in this context requires sophisticated governance frameworks capable of adapting dynamically to shifting regulatory landscapes, technological advancements, and stakeholder expectations. A recent scoping review published within the Journal of Medical Internet Research highlighted that successful AI adoption depends heavily on multidimensional leadership—combining technological acumen, strategic foresight, and empathetic stakeholder engagement. These findings emphasize the importance of equipping healthcare executives with practical, evidence-driven strategies to manage AI’s inherent uncertainties.
The call for papers is thus positioned to gather empirical and case-study evidence that elucidates pathways for navigating these uncertainties. Submissions are encouraged to furnish actionable insights for senior management and administrators on leveraging AI tools to foster value-based, equitable healthcare. By facilitating this knowledge exchange, the journal aims to foster a comprehensive understanding of AI’s strategic implications and build a cohesive knowledge base that informs policy and practice alike.
Among the critical thematic areas for exploration are AI’s influence on reimbursement frameworks, where the substitution of clinical judgment with algorithmic decision-making engenders financial and ethical uncertainty. Researchers are invited to examine how AI-enabled reimbursement models reshape risk assessments, cost management, and payer-provider negotiations in ways that impact patient outcomes and organizational sustainability.
Cloud migration challenges also beckon rigorous inquiry. Investigating how health institutions realign talent and develop governance protocols during and after transitions to AI-enhanced cloud environments will provide valuable strategic lessons. Understanding how to balance internal capacity-building with external expertise is particularly significant in ensuring continuity, security, and compliance amid rapid digital transformation.
The evolving vendor landscape constitutes another vital dimension, where power disparities affect innovation trajectories and healthcare delivery models. Detailed explorations of vendor collaborations, competitive strategies, and their implications for AI accessibility and interoperability within healthcare ecosystems will enrich discourse on fostering inclusive and resilient digital health infrastructures.
Strategic decision-making under AI-enabled uncertainty remains a core concern, as administrators navigate complex trade-offs involving technological risks, ethical considerations, operational disruptions, and regulatory compliance. Investigations into decision frameworks, risk assessment methodologies, and adaptive leadership approaches will illuminate pathways for enhancing organizational agility and effectiveness.
Moreover, the emergence of learning health systems in the AI era offers a promising paradigm shift—integrating continuous data feedback loops, real-time analytics, and adaptive policy frameworks to drive evidence-based improvements. Studies articulating how AI accelerates learning health system capabilities while managing attendant uncertainties will be particularly impactful.
JMIR Publications, known for its leadership in digital health research dissemination and commitment to open science principles, emphasizes the significance of this thematic issue as foundational to advancing understanding in this critical domain. By curating a diverse collection of peer-reviewed contributions, the journal aims to stimulate rigorous scientific discourse and influence health policy and management practices globally.
The scope and urgency of this call to action reflect the broader challenges facing healthcare systems worldwide in integrating AI responsibly and effectively. As digital health technologies continue to reshape patient care, reimbursement, and administration, the ability to navigate AI-enabled uncertainty strategically will define the success of future health innovations.
For researchers and practitioners aiming to contribute to this evolving field, the thematic issue represents an opportunity to impact not only academic knowledge but also operational realities. Submissions emphasizing practical, data-informed leadership tactics and governance models that reconcile technological promise with systemic risks will be particularly valued.
Overall, this initiative marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing discourse on AI in healthcare. It underscores the need for collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts to chart pathways through complexity toward more adaptive, equitable, and sustainable health systems in the age of artificial intelligence.
Subject of Research:
Strategic management and governance of AI integration in healthcare systems.
Article Title:
Navigating AI-Enabled Uncertainty – Strategic Implications for Digital Health Management
News Publication Date:
October 22, 2025
Web References:
https://www.jmir.org/announcements/619
https://jmirpublications.com/
https://www.jmir.org/
References:
1. Shaw M. Insurers’ AI denials of postacute care face senate scrutiny. AJMC. Oct 28, 2024.
2. Dyrda L. Amazon vs. Microsoft cloud with Epic: 6 notes. Becker’s Hospital Review. Nov 8, 2024.
3. D’Amico LC. Beyond documentation: building platform moats in healthcare AI. MedCity News. March 13, 2025.
4. Sriharan A, Sekercioglu N, Mitchell C, et al. Leadership for AI transformation in healthcare organization: scoping review. J Med Internet Res. Aug 14, 2024;26:e54556. [doi: 10.2196/54556]
Image Credits:
JMIR Publications, Source: Alexander Sikov
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, Insurance, Risk management, Health care costs, Health care delivery, Health care policy, Public policy, Digital data
