Utah Launches AI Pilot to Automate Prescription Refills for Chronic Care Patients

The pilot, announced by the Utah Department of Commerce’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy (OAIP), enables patients to use an AI-powered platform to request and manage prescription renewals at any time.

Utah has launched a pilot program that allows an autonomous artificial intelligence system to support prescription refills for patients with chronic conditions, marking what state officials describe as a first-of-its-kind initiative in regulated medical decision support.

The pilot, announced by the Utah Department of Commerce’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy (OAIP), enables patients to use an AI-powered platform to request and manage prescription renewals at any time.

Pharmacists remain responsible for processing the refills, while the AI system facilitates authorization and renewal workflows within defined clinical and regulatory safeguards.

The state is working with health platform developer Doctronic under Utah’s AI regulatory sandbox framework, which allows emerging technologies to be tested under temporary regulatory oversight. The initiative is designed to improve access to medications, particularly for patients managing chronic conditions who often face delays in prescription renewals.

According to OAIP, the pilot will evaluate the AI system across multiple parameters, including clinical safety protocols, patient experience, refill timeliness, medication adherence, access to care, patient satisfaction, workflow efficiency, safety outcomes, and overall costs. Findings from the pilot are expected to be shared publicly to inform future state and federal AI policy discussions.

Prescription renewals account for an estimated 80% of all medication-related activity, according to figures cited by the state. Medication noncompliance remains a significant contributor to preventable health complications and avoidable healthcare spending. Doctronic cofounder Dr. Adam Oskowitz said medication nonadherence is responsible for more than $100 billion in avoidable medical expenses annually.

State Sen. Kirk Cullimore Jr. said the initiative aligns with Utah’s broader efforts to reduce healthcare costs through regulatory innovation, including the use of sandbox models to test new approaches while maintaining patient protections.

Utah’s AI sandbox has been positioned as a potential model for other jurisdictions. Similar sandbox programs have been launched or proposed in states including Arizona, Texas, and Wyoming. At the federal level, the AI Action Plan released last year called for the creation of regulatory sandboxes and AI Centers of Excellence to support real-world testing of AI tools and data sharing.

Industry observers have pointed to sandbox environments as a way to build trust and engagement with clinicians. Lora Sparkman, partner and vice president of patient safety and quality at Relias, previously said participation from the medical community is critical for such initiatives to succeed.

Doctronic executives said the Utah pilot represents an opportunity to measure how AI-supported workflows can improve medication access while maintaining human oversight in clinical decision-making.

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