Integrating AI in healthcare is revolutionizing the industry, offering new possibilities for enhancing patient care, streamlining operations and improving clinical outcomes. However, this transformation requires careful consideration and strategic planning to ensure that AI tools are implemented effectively and ethically.
I recently had the chance to sit down with Christian Christian, VP of Technology & CTO at Franciscan Health, to talk about where clinical AI is headed and what health systems can do to integrate AI effectively and safely.
Building Health System AI Governance
Governance in Healthcare AI is crucial for ensuring data integrity, security, and compliance, thereby fostering trust and accountability in AI-driven decision-making processes. He expanded on Franciscan Health’s approach, “We need to remember that the data that we’re going to be using is personal, and is governed by a significant amount of both federal, state and local laws. We’ve had a lot of conversations about how that would look not only from a technical standpoint, but also from an administrative standpoint.”
At Franciscan Health, leadership has established a high-level governance council to address both technical and administrative aspects of AI governance. This dual-path approach focuses on clinical applications, such as diagnosis and clinical practices and operational enhancements, aiming to increase productivity with AI.
The governance framework also extends to controlling data usage. A meticulous process is in place to ensure that patient information is safeguarded. This reflects a broader commitment to using AI tools appropriately and ethically, akin to the careful regulation of Protected Health Information.
AI as an Aid and Expectations of a Vendor
Technology should not be imposed on healthcare professionals without their buy-in. Chuck Christian emphasized the importance of engaging stakeholders, including physicians and nursing staff, to ensure that AI solutions address real needs rather than searching for problems to solve. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. It is a tactical mistake, to drop technology and on the people that are key to taking care of our patients,” he noted. This approach ensures that AI workflow integration enhances rather than disrupts patient care.
Vendors must understand that healthcare technology is a tool, not a panacea. The focus should be on solutions that integrate smoothly and require minimal rework unless there is a compelling business or clinical necessity. Franciscan Health’s thorough vetting process ensures that any new technology aligns with its mission of providing high-quality patient care.
Leveraging AI for Smarter Healthcare
The potential of AI to revolutionize healthcare lies in its ability to make systems smarter and more efficient. With years of data collection, now is the time to leverage this data to assist healthcare providers.
Chuck Christian shared an insightful perspective from conversations with physicians he has worked with over the years, emphasizing the need for AI to highlight what doctors don’t know, rather than reiterate known information. He stated, “Tell me what I need to know about that patient. And right now. And so this is how I think we can make our systems smarter. Because now that we’ve been gathering up a great deal of discrete data for the past 10 or 15 years, how do we assist the physicians in digging through all of the patient information, to help them become more efficient in the use of that information?”
This principle guides Franciscan Health in utilizing AI to sift through extensive patient data, presenting relevant information that aids in making informed decisions quickly. A practical example is the integration of data from various health systems to provide a comprehensive view of a patient’s medical history, thus enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of patient encounters.
Adopting Clinical Tech in a Unified Way
Standardization is key to successful technology adoption in healthcare. Drawing parallels to manufacturing, where standard processes drive efficiency and reduce variation, Chuck Christian highlighted the importance of a unified approach to adopting clinical technology. At Franciscan Health, a robust IT organization handles numerous project requests, ensuring that only those with enterprise-wide applicability are implemented. This avoids the pitfalls of having multiple disparate solutions for the same problem, which can be costly and inefficient. AI tools at Franciscan Health are subject to rigorous evaluation to ensure they fit seamlessly into the organization, maintain patient safety and enhance the quality of care.
AI Integration Moving Forward
The integration of AI in healthcare holds transformative potential, but it requires a careful, governed approach that prioritizes patient safety, data integrity and stakeholder engagement. By building robust AI governance frameworks, setting clear expectations for vendors, leveraging AI to enhance clinical decision-making and adopting technology in a unified manner, healthcare organizations like Franciscan Health are paving the way for smarter, more efficient healthcare systems.
To dive deeper into these insights and learn more from industry experts like Chuck Christian, we encourage you to watch the latest segments of “Lessons From the Inside.”
