Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is applying artificial intelligence to reframe patient safety work as a predictive, systemwide discipline, according to an Oct. 16 blog post from the American Hospital Association.
The health system has embedded AI into its safety infrastructure to generate digital risk markers and identify near-miss events before harm occurs. This approach shifts safety monitoring beyond traditional hospital reporting, which focuses on downstream events like infections or falls, according to Chief Quality Officer Randy Fagin, MD.
“AI becomes not just an enabler, but I believe it is going to accelerate our ability — and likely even create an ability we wouldn’t otherwise have — to advance our safety model using these high-impact, cross-industry, safety practices,” he told AHA News.
HCA is also using AI tools to reduce clinical variation. By identifying inconsistencies in clinical decision-making, patient presentation and geography, the health system aims to standardize care practices across its national footprint.
Dr. Fagin said the system also has a robust governance structure in place to assess AI use cases, which includes leaders across operations, finance, marketing, supply chain and clinical teams.
Read the full blog post here.
