Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the healthcare sector, including workforce shortages and clinician burnout. According to a report by Moody’s Ratings, AI tools could help health systems recruit and retain staff by offering solutions like flexible scheduling for nurses and assisting clinicians with clinical documentation.
One of the key benefits of AI in healthcare is its ability to summarize clinical information, freeing up providers to see more patients or focus on higher level tasks. For example, Mercy in St. Louis utilizes AI to match nurses with shifts based on their experience and qualifications, attracting talent in a tight labor market. Similarly, Texas Health Resources has seen significant time savings in documentation thanks to AI-assisted clinical documentation tools.
In addition to administrative tasks, AI could eventually play a larger role in diagnosis and treatment by analyzing healthcare data to find patterns that human clinicians might miss. This could lead to earlier diagnoses and more effective treatment plans. AI can also help health systems manage operations more efficiently, as seen with Cedars-Sinai using AI to predict bed capacity and supply needs during spikes in infectious disease cases.
However, the adoption of AI in healthcare also brings new challenges, particularly in cybersecurity. With the increased reliance on AI technology, health systems are at a higher risk of cyberattacks and data breaches. Hospitals are already facing serious risks to operations due to cyberattacks, which can disrupt critical technology systems and delay patient care.
To address these challenges, health systems will need to invest more in cybersecurity to protect sensitive patient data and ensure the integrity of their IT systems. Additionally, they will need to navigate new regulatory challenges related to the implementation of AI in clinical settings, including issues like incorrect responses and biases in data leading to legal and equity concerns.
Furthermore, health systems will need to adapt to the use of AI by insurers, who are increasingly using AI to adjudicate claims. Providers may need to invest more resources in revenue cycle management to address increased claims denials resulting from AI algorithms used by payers. This shift in the healthcare landscape will require health systems to stay vigilant, invest in cybersecurity, and carefully monitor the impact of AI on their operations and patient care.
