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AI is a prominent feature in many new product presentations by vendors. Healthcare CIOs are currently strategizing on how to incorporate AI into their operations effectively and develop in-house capabilities. However, keeping up with the pace of AI advancements proves to be a challenge for IT teams, clinicians, and patients, making it essential for CIOs to reconsider their approach. The real challenge lies not in adopting AI in healthcare, but in doing so responsibly, sustainably, and strategically to ensure it adds genuine value.
The key is not just adopting AI, but doing it sensibly within the healthcare context. The focus should be on responsible, sustainable, and strategic adoption of AI.
The 2025 Wolters Kluwer Future Ready Healthcare Survey highlights the increasing use of generative AI by leaders to address workforce shortages, financial challenges, and regulatory uncertainties in the healthcare sector. Despite this trend, there are discrepancies between priorities and readiness, with most organizations lacking clear governance, policies, and training for effective AI adoption. Here are two critical gaps identified in the survey that healthcare CIOs must address promptly:
AI Staffing Challenges
Healthcare CIOs are confronted with staffing issues that make urgent and complex the adoption of AI. While agentic AI agents show promise, many organizations lack the resources needed to develop them. Workforce challenges such as staff shortages, burnout, and rising labor costs are significant hurdles. A majority of leaders (82%) cite staffing challenges as the primary driver for embracing generative AI.
Healthcare executives see AI as a way to improve administrative efficiency by streamlining processes like prior authorizations, reducing EHR burdens, and supporting staff. However, there is a disparity: while 80% rank operational optimization as a top priority, only 63% feel adequately prepared to take action.
CIOs must bridge this readiness gap by establishing the infrastructure and governance required to safely scale GenAI. Given that labor accounts for approximately 60% of hospital expenses, leaders anticipate AI to reduce administrative Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) like schedulers, assistants, and middle managers, without replacing physicians or nurses.
Additionally, 74% of executives view technology as a means for professional development and staff retention. Ultimately, CIOs must rethink their workforce strategy, treating AI agents almost like human employees. Integrating them into the organizational structure may be necessary to secure the budget and recognition essential for sustaining this transformation.
Governance Challenges
While some may view governance as a mere buzzword, organizations continue to work on establishing proper guidelines. Real risks and gaps persist, as fewer than one in five organizations have published policies for generative AI, and only one in five require staff training on this technology. Building trust poses a significant hurdle, with over half of leaders expressing concerns about the erosion of decision-making skills, especially among pharmacists and allied health professionals.
Healthcare CIOs and leaders must set clear boundaries, define the interface between clinical judgment and AI, and create flexible frameworks that can adapt to evolving regulatory demands. Dr. Peter Bonis, Chief Medical Officer at Wolters Kluwer Health, emphasizes that AI in healthcare should not just present information but also support the critical reasoning process that clinicians rely on for making decisions with significant impacts on patient outcomes.
In summary, the survey underscores the crucial role played by healthcare CIOs in shaping the future of AI. They must redefine their staffing and talent strategies and establish governance structures that provide confidence and clarity for their organizations as they move forward.
