The Deloitte 2024 Healthcare Genative AI Outlook study released this week takes a closer look at the potential blind spots leaders may have when implementing generative artificial intelligence.
WHY IT MATTERS
In the new report, Deloitte researchers say that 70% of executives surveyed were highly focused on data availability, quality, compliance, security and privacy during implementation, but “may be missing the need.”
“A traditional data-centric approach to (genAI) implementation could be too narrow, highlighting the potential need for a broader strategy,” the researchers said, before delving into the three factors that fewer than 60% of executives surveyed considered. is focused.
In their reportAccording to them, successful generative AI integration will require healthcare leaders to shift their focus from such data-centric transformation.
“Consumer trust is at stake,” Deloitte authors noted in a separate analysis of the report rise of generative AI in healthcare.
“Generative AI can deepen and restore trust, or exacerbate distrust and introduce new skepticism among consumers and healthcare stakeholders alike,” they said of the technology’s potential.
If healthcare organizations want to increase their chances of success by integrating genAI into their workflows, they would be wise to adopt a transformational approach that drives ethics and trust as well as organizational change, the Deloitte researchers recommended in the new report.
They recommend that healthcare leaders pay more attention to the underserved areas – what they call the generative AI implementation blind spots – that their research revealed.
Their survey of those currently working to develop and implement natural language processing, machine learning and other AI-driven technologies in their healthcare systems concluded that:
- Effective management gets lost among other data priorities.
- They don’t pay enough attention to what matters most to patients.
- Investing in and responding to workforce needs remains disappointing.
GenAI governance is key to building trust with both consumers and employees, according to Deloitte researchers.
“Implementing a governance model that includes data is important to help ensure the effective use and quality of data, reduce data bias for fair design, and protect patient privacy.”
They also noted that developing trust involves more than educating patients about AI and its risks, as they seek greater transparency about “how their data is used and who uses it.”
“With less attention to what matters to consumers, healthcare organizations may find trust and engagement decline,” the Deloitte researchers warned in the report.
Third, healthcare leaders surveyed focused less attention on employee upskilling (63%), addressing employee concerns and reassuring their confidence (60%), and change management (57%) when navigating the industry with other compare sectors.
They said early adopters of AI generally see “more value in using the technology to upskill and reskill their employees than reducing costs by cutting jobs.”
THE BIG TREND
Ahead of his presentation at the HIMSS AI in Healthcare Forum in November, Tom Hallisey, chief digital health strategy at the Healthcare Association of New York and board member at Columbia Memorial Health, said healthcare organizations should focus on a measurable goal when implementing AI.
To incorporate AI into a healthcare organization’s roadmap, it is “important to have top leaders in the selection process, who ensure decisions are based on current leading organizational strategies and key concerns,” he said.
According to Dr. Justin Norden, partner at GSR Ventures, genAI will see tremendous growth and broader adoption this year.
“While 2023 was filled with hype and discussion around generative AI, few healthcare systems had developed definitive strategies for the emerging technology, and even fewer deployed applications beyond isolated pilot projects with highly targeted use cases,” he shared. Healthcare IT News in December.
But Norden also sees some guardrails emerging — mainly “a lack of regulation or standardization designed to protect both patient safety and provider liability risk,” which will require provider organizations to “essentially regulate their own AI algorithms and related vendors ‘.
ON THE RECORD
“By taking consumer and workforce considerations into account in addition to data considerations, healthcare organizations can pave the way for a future where generative AI not only improves healthcare, but does so in a fair and ethical manner, without bias, with a personalized touch. ”, the Deloitte researchers conclude in their report.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.