Clinically Built, Clinically Governed AI: A Safer Path Forward for Healthcare
The World Health Organization has warned that AI in healthcare may be moving faster than safety standards can keep up with. That concern is valid. What's missing from the conversation is an approach that puts clinical governance ahead of black-box ambition - and uses AI to support, not replace, clinicians.
"The WHO is absolutely right to highlight the risks that come with the rapid rise of AI in healthcare," said Dr. Essam Hamza, CEO of Rocket Doctor AI Inc. "Too many systems rely on opaque algorithms and the possibility of hallucinations, without the legal or clinical safeguards patients and health workers deserve. At Rocket Doctor AI, we've taken a fundamentally different approach."
What Makes This Approach Different
Rocket Doctor AI is advancing a physician-built Global Library of Medicine (GLM) and a suite of AI-driven tools built over more than a decade with input from hundreds of clinicians. The core idea: large language models act only as the presentation layer - never the source of clinical judgment.
As Dr. Hamza put it, "The clinical pathways, differential diagnoses and recommendations generated within GLM are grounded in vetted, evidence-based medical knowledge." The system is built to strengthen safety, improve decision-making and support clinicians at every step.
- LLMs are the interface - not the clinical brain.
- Evidence-based pathways and differentials, vetted and governed by physicians.
- Transparency and accountability to reduce hallucinations and legal risk.
- Focus on lowering administrative load and improving diagnostic consistency.
Impact Across the Patient Journey
Rocket Doctor AI delivers physician-built, AI-powered solutions that support high-quality care from intake to follow-up. The GLM is a clinically validated decision support system shaped by hundreds of physicians worldwide.
Alongside the GLM, Rocket Doctor Inc. operates an AI-enabled digital health platform and marketplace that has empowered over 300 MDs to deliver more than 700,000 patient visits. The model reduces administrative burdens, restores autonomy to clinicians and expands access for underserved communities in Canada and the United States.
Why This Matters for Healthcare Leaders
CMOs, CIOs and clinical leaders need AI that is transparent, auditable and clinically governed. That aligns with the spirit of international guidance on safety and ethics for AI in health. For reference, see the WHO guidance on AI for health.
- Separate the presentation layer (LLM) from the clinical reasoning layer.
- Demand provenance, citations and version control for medical content.
- Insist on physician governance and clear accountability frameworks.
- Track safety and performance metrics with post-deployment monitoring.
- Integrate with workflows to reduce clicks: notes, orders, coding and billing.
Leadership Behind the Model
Dr. Essam Hamza is a physician, entrepreneur and CEO and Director of Rocket Doctor AI Inc., with more than two decades advancing digital healthcare. He earned his MD from the University of Alberta and has built and scaled multiple ventures at the intersection of medicine and technology.
- Founded HealthVue Ventures Ltd. in 2005, serving over 100,000 patients across advanced medical clinics.
- Founded CloudMD in 2018 and served as CEO and Director until 2022, growing revenue from under $4 million to over $100 million and taking the company public on the TSX Venture Exchange.
- Held leadership and advisory roles across healthcare and biotechnology, including Independent Director positions at publicly traded companies.
Bottom Line
AI in healthcare must move fast - and safely. Clinically built and clinically governed systems show a path to scale trust, cut administrative drag and support better outcomes for patients.
If you're building clinical AI literacy across your team, explore curated learning by role at Complete AI Training.
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