As AI sweeps across healthcare headlines, it’s tempting to view it as a brand-new frontier, something fundamentally different from previous health IT efforts. But in reality, AI is not a departure from the digital transformation journey we’ve already been on; it’s a continuation. A recent survey from Nordic and Modern Healthcare on AI readiness in healthcare brings this full circle: the same foundational elements that enabled the introduction of electronic health records (EHRs) — infrastructure, governance, data, and workforce training — are the same critical elements for successful AI adoption.
Embracing technical foundations
While EHRs have been in place for years, they remain an active area of investment and refinement. Many healthcare organizations are working to optimize EHR workflows and extract clinical value from structured documentation. These efforts lay the groundwork for digital transformation. Innovation initiatives like AI are only as good as the data used in those initiatives, and much of that data lives within the EHR.
The recent AI readiness survey highlights a familiar truth: the barriers surrounding data capabilities, infrastructure, governance, and preparedness, are the same challenges faced during EHR adoption. Healthcare leaders can use these insights as a strategic advantage in planning and building their digital transformation initiatives for wide-scale success. Since digital initiatives are often separate, but part of a larger, ongoing transformation, focusing on the following elements can have wide-scale benefits.
- Sustainable infrastructure
Enterprise-wide healthcare AI requires a connected IT ecosystem with strong integrated platforms, none of which can be achieved without a mature EHR environment. Past investments in IT infrastructure, in particular, cloud migration, are not just relevant, they’re foundational. AI cannot be layered on top of fragmented data and be expected to deliver clinical value. It requires the digital scaffolding that many healthcare organizations are working to stabilize. - Data capabilities
The survey revealed that most organizations are far from being strong and secure in their data capabilities. To accelerate progress, leaders must be willing to prioritize investing in their teams’ capacities and internal processes for data management, interoperability, pipelines, analytics, and evangelizing data-informed insights. Establishing clear roles such as data stewards and data owners is also essential to ensure a commitment to data quality and management. An organization needs to be data-rich and data-confident for any digital transformation to be successful, from EHR implementation to AI innovation. - Commitment to governance
Governance emerged from the survey as another critical gap. While AI presents new complexities—such as transparency, model explainability, and ethical data use—the fundamental need for clear policies and dedicated accountability is nothing new. Health systems have long navigated governance challenges around privacy, data access, and compliance in the EHR space. These existing frameworks offer a solid starting point for building the next layer of oversight. - Workforce readiness
The early days of EHR rollouts revealed just how vital user engagement, workflow integration, and targeted education are to the success of any digital initiative. The same holds true today. AI tools must be introduced with the same level of care, support, and attention to clinical context. Change management is a critical component in workforce training, with a customized application of approaches for every organization.
Building on what works
AI isn’t rewriting the healthcare playbook – it’s building on the same digital transformation story that the health IT community has been living for years. That’s good news. It means health systems don’t have to start from scratch, they just need to double down on what they already know works. With strong EHR foundations, smarter data strategies, tighter governance, and a prepared workforce, AI becomes not just possible, but powerful. And working with a strategic partner who understands your organization’s unique needs can accelerate that journey. The future is here—healthcare leaders just need to be ready to plug it in.
Is your healthcare organization ready for digital transformation and leveraging AI? Read the survey brief for insights into AI readiness in healthcare.
