AI has already made a lot of changes in healthcare, from automating tasks previously done by humans to creating operational efficiencies. But has the technology been a net positive for the industry?
Yes, health system executives told Becker’s — as long as the AI is closely governed and monitored.
“AI has the potential to be one of the most meaningful advancements in healthcare — especially when applied thoughtfully and with a clear purpose,” said Laura Wilt, chief digital officer of Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health. “At Sutter Health, we see AI as a powerful tool that helps clinicians do what they do best: deliver exceptional care. It’s not about replacing people; it’s about strengthening the care experience for both patients and care teams.”
Some of the benefits of AI at the 23-hospital system include easing clinicians’ documentation load so they can focus more time on patients, identifying large vessel blockages within minutes for stroke care, and helping detect early-stage lung cancer, she said.
“These advances show what’s possible — but how we use AI matters just as much as what it can do,” Ms. Wilt said.
That includes having a strong governance process to continuously review AI, safety, privacy, transparency and accuracy, as well as piloting tools before they’re rolled out more broadly, she said.
“AI is helping us reimagine what healthcare can look like — more connected, more responsive and more intuitive,” she said. “With the right guardrails in place, we believe it can be a lasting force for progress across our healthcare system.”
At Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care, AI has helped boost diagnostic accuracy and streamline administrative processes, said Michael Pfeffer, MD, senior vice president and chief information and digital officer. The health system has even developed its own AI to message patients with test results and answer billing questions.
AI’s success will depend on how well the industry “thoughtfully and ethically” integrates and scales the technology, Dr. Pfeffer said.
“While AI can augment human capabilities, it is crucial that we maintain a focus on patient-centered care and ensure that these innovations are accessible and equitable for all,” he said. “As such, further research and evaluation of AI-based tools in healthcare will continue to be necessary to ensure that AI provides value.”
Rob Purinton, chief AI officer for Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth, said the technology is “already adding immense value in healthcare — and there’s still much more to come.”
“Computer vision AI is helping radiologists detect subtle patterns earlier, leading to faster diagnoses and more precise treatment,” he said. “Ambient audio AI is allowing physicians to focus more on their patients during appointments, instead of their computer, while capturing every detail of the visit. In busy ERs and clinics, smarter AI alerts are flagging hidden, time-critical medical issues so care teams can prioritize urgent needs.”
The 50-plus hospital system also focuses on responsible AI, with an advisory board comprising clinicians, legal staffers, ethics experts and data scientists to rigorously vet each tool for safety and equity, he said.
“AI is just getting started in healthcare,” said David Higginson, executive vice president and chief innovation officer of Phoenix Children’s. “The wins with AI transcription and medical summarization have made the AI hype real for many physicians. However, the deep integration of the technology by our existing application vendors and the new use cases involving physician avatars and robotics will be revolutionary.”
A big AI success at Pittsburgh-based UPMC has been ambient listening for clinical documentation, said Ed McCallister, senior vice president and CIO. The health system has used Abridge’s technology to generate EHR-integrated clinical notes during patient visits, reducing physician burnout by cutting administrative burden, boosting documentation accuracy and allowing clinicians to focus more on patient care.
“And while the benefits are clear, AI also introduces potential risks, which is why UPMC has implemented a robust governance framework, including a formal AI policy to ensure that AI is used ethically, transparently, and in alignment with our commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care,” Mr. McCallister said.
On the pharmacy side, Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke’s Health System aims to leverage AI for prior authorizations and its 340B program, said Chief Pharmacy Officer Kelley Curtis, PharmD.
“I believe we are still very early in truly understanding AI’s impact on healthcare. One important nuance is how ‘AI’ is defined: In many cases, what is currently called AI is more automation or rules-based processes rather than true machine learning,” she said. “That distinction matters when evaluating real progress.”
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente has also developed principles for AI use, assessing new AI solutions for quality, safety, reliability and equity, said Andrew Bindman, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer.
In addition, the health system has found success with ambient AI for clinical documentation, rolling it out to 40 hospitals and 600-plus medical offices in 2024, the largest launch of the technology to date. Early results have included improved member and clinician experience.
“We believe that AI has enormous potential to help make our nation’s healthcare system more robust, accessible, efficient and equitable,” Dr. Bindman said. “But we also believe that it is critical to carefully evaluate and analyze new AI tools and solutions as we would with any new technology.”
Kaiser Permanente also shares its learning across the industry, with Dr. Bindman serving as the National Academy of Medicine’s steering committee to establish a “code of conduct” for healthcare AI and the health system publishing a case study about its quality assurance process for ambient AI.
“By continuing to responsibly deploy AI technologies that provide a ‘return on health,’ we can ensure that stakeholders across the healthcare system can realize their potential,” Dr. Bindman said.
