As hospitals and health systems expand their use of AI, leaders say clear communication with boards and executives is essential to temper enthusiasm with realistic expectations.
Rohit Chandra, PhD, chief digital officer at Cleveland Clinic, described AI as a promising tool to expand care while enhancing safety, quality, and patient experience.
“While there is significant potential, it’s important to have conversations with leadership underscoring that AI is currently an emerging and costly technology,” Dr. Chandra told Becker’s. “Our current focus is on exploring and implementing AI solutions aligned with our strategic goals. We prioritize those that demonstrate potential for measurable returns on investment in the short to medium term.”
Other leaders advocate a cautious, incremental approach. Alda Mizaku, vice president and chief data and AI officer at Washington, D.C.-based Children’s National, emphasized starting small. Piloting attainable projects allows leaders to test capabilities, ensure alignment with responsible use standards, and gather insights for broader application.
“This iterative approach not only builds confidence among our clinical, operational, and research leaders but also allows us to scale successful solutions across the organization,” Ms. Mizaku told Becker’s. “Ultimately, it places valuable technology directly in their hands and drives meaningful impact.”
Micky Tripathi, chief AI implementation officer at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, highlighted the importance of combining strategic vision with practical application. Mayo has been developing and using AI and machine learning for years and is now accelerating adoption.
“With our boards and executive teams, we emphasize both the importance of AI to our strategic vision and the urgency of practical applications that can benefit our clinicians and patients today,” Mr. Tripathi told Becker’s. “This helps leadership understand not just what’s possible, but what’s truly scalable and safe in a clinical environment, always keeping our primary value in mind: patient needs come first.”
Leaders say these approaches reflect a broader trend in healthcare: balancing AI enthusiasm with careful planning, pilot testing, and transparent leadership discussions to ensure investments meet both clinical and patient needs.
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