Health system operators spent the past two years answering a central AI question: Does it work?
They have an answer now – a “yes” in many administrative functions and there’s a clear pathway to integrating AI smartly into clinical decision-making as well. But the new question top of mind is a harder one: can we make AI work at scale? For leaders running some of the country’s most complex care delivery systems, the second half of 2026 marks an inflection point. Pilots are either converting to platforms or stalling.
Roberta Schwartz, PhD, executive vice president of Houston Methodist Hospital and chief innovation officer of Houston Methodist, frames the challenge as a shift from point solutions to integrated capability.
“We are challenging both ourselves and our partners to expand beyond single-use applications and identify adjacent opportunities where existing capabilities can drive additional value,” said Roberta Schwartz, PhD, executive vice president of Houston Methodist Hospital and chief innovation officer of Houston Methodist. “For example, our OR visualization partner is exploring ways to support surgical block utilization through ‘time boost’ offerings that help fill gaps in the schedule.”
Houston Methodist also has a predictive analytics partner extending existing chart data to identify present-on-admission conditions, expanding the reach of a tool already deployed. The logic is deliberate: before acquiring new capabilities, exhaust what is already in place.
“At the same time, we continue to focus on simplifying and rationalizing our technology ecosystem,” she said. “As new capabilities become available and as our electronic medical record continues to mature, we are intentionally evaluating opportunities to consolidate disparate systems and reduce redundancy. Ultimately, our goal is to create a more cohesive, efficient and scalable environment that supports both clinical excellence and operational performance.”
The access redesign underway at HealthPartners Care Group in Bloomington, Minn., reflects a parallel evolution. Megan Remark, executive vice president and COO of HealthPartners Care Group, said the health system has moved away from treating access as a capacity problem measured in appointment volume.
“We’re focused on moving beyond simply adding appointments and instead redesigning how care is delivered,” Ms. Remark said. “That means scaling proven models such as virtual care, advanced triage and same-day resolution of many patient needs, often without requiring an in-person visit. We’re also accelerating the use of AI to identify risk earlier and proactively connect patients with care, and we’re reducing barriers that can delay treatment.”
The clearest expression of that shift is a second-level triage program connecting nurses with clinicians to help patients identify the most appropriate care setting before they reach the emergency department. Since the program launched, about 65% of patients have avoided an unnecessary ED visit and received care through alternatives such as urgent care, primary care or virtual visits. Ms. Remark said the priority for the second half of the year is converting successes like this from isolated models into systemwide infrastructure.
“Our focus now is taking innovations like these from isolated successes to systemwide solutions,” she said. “When we do that well, we improve the patient experience and build a more sustainable model of care.”
At Texas Children’s in Houston, the organizing principle for the second half of 2026 is adaptability, and AI is the infrastructure enabling it. Debra F. Sukin, PhD, president and CEO of Texas Children’s, said she is building around the system’s capacity to respond to conditions that cannot all be anticipated.
“In the second half of 2026, my number one goal is to position Texas Children’s as an adaptable organization that works proactively to meet our patients’ evolving needs within a rapidly shifting health care landscape,” Dr. Sukin said. “Specifically, that means we are focusing on a handful of priorities, including exploring new partnership models to extend our reach to all patients who need our expertise; focusing on preventative care, wellness and disease prevention; advancing breakthrough discoveries at an unprecedented pace and scale; and attracting and retaining top talent.”
Embedding AI across clinical, research and administrative functions is the infrastructure threading through all of it, Dr. Sukin said, not a parallel initiative running alongside core operations.
“We are aligning our talent strategy with our financial planning and care transformation strategies to ensure that we remain an employer of choice,” she said. “Together, these efforts will enable us to remain agile, adopt new ways to serve our patients, deliver better outcomes and ultimately create healthier futures for women and children in our global community.”
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